ABSTRACT
A Berlin Jewess, Gertrud Kolmar published two collections of poetry in her lifetime, Preuβische Wappen (1934), a cycle on the coats of arms of Prussian towns, and Die Frau und die Tiere (1938). After her death (she was murdered in a Nazi extermination camp) her most memorable collection, Welten, appeared (1947). The collected poems were published as Das lyrische Werk (1955; enlarged edition 1960), and their impact was such that she was acknowledged as one of the greatest of Germany’s women poets, demonstrating a remarkable range of style (Volkslied, sonnet, free verse) and a unique sensitivity and strength of expression. Valid comparisons have been made between her work and that of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff and also Emily Dickinson. A selection of her work, Tag-und Tierträume, appeared in 1963; a story, Eine Mutter, in 1965: they are passionate, sensuous and highly structured. The main themes are unrequited love and the unfulfilled desire to be a mother. Frühe Gedichte appeared in 1980; a selection (Gedichte) was published in 1983.
