Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926) - German

Rene Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke was born on 4^th December 1875 in Prague, then in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now in the Czech Republic.  His father was Josef Rilke and his mother Sophie Entz. 

Living in Germany at the outbreak of the First World War, Rilke was called up in 1916.  After basic training, influential friends ensured that he was given a desk job at the War Records Office.  From 1914 – 1916, Rilke had an affair with German poet Lou Albert-Lasard.   He was discharged from the Army in June 1916.

Rilke died on 29^th December 1926.

Hungarian poet Franz Xaver Kappus (1883 - 1966) wrote to Rainer Maria Rilke who wrote back to him.  Kappus edited Rilke’s letters to him about poetry, writing a book that was published in 1929.