Karl Stamm (1890 - 1919) - Swiss Poet

Karl Stamm was born on 29th March 1890 in Wädenswil, Canton of Zurich, the sixth of nine children. His father came from Schaffhausen and ran a china shop.  Karl lost his mother and his favourite brother at an early age - the deaths overshadowed his childhood and later influenced and inspired his poems.

At an early age, Karl demonstrated an aptitude for drawing and writing. He completed a teachers training course at the teacher training college in Küsnacht in 1906. There he met Eduard Gubler, who went on to achieve fame as an artist. From 1910 to 1914 Karl worked as a primary school teacher in Lipperschwändi, Bauma before moving to Zurich in 1914.

When war broke out in 1914, Karl was called up to military service and served in the Swiss Army at the Swiss border. His initial patriotic enthusiasm later gave way to deep sympathy for the suffering of those involved in the conflict. After suffering a nervous breakdown and spending a long time in hospital, he was discharged from military service in 1917. Karl died in Zurich on 21st March 1919 of the Spanish flu.

Photo:  Karl Stamm, 2nd from left, on a trip organised during his time at the teacher training college in Küsnacht. To his left is Karl’s friend Eduard Gubler – photographer unknown.

Portrait of Karl Stamm by Eduard Gubler.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Stamm

“Schlachtfeld” (Tr. Battlefield) by Karl Stamm

Schollenmürbe schläfert ein das Eisen
Blute filzen Sickerflecke
Roste krumen
Fleische schleimen

Saugen brünstet um Zerfallen.
Mordesmorde
Blinzen
Kinderblicke.

First published in "Der Sturm", Nr. 19/20, 1/ 2 January1915

"Der Sturm" (Tr. The Storm) was a German art and literary magazine published between 1910 and 1932

Works by Stamm:

Der Aufbruch des Herzens by Karl Stamm( Book )

12 editions published between 1919 and 1925 in German and English and held by 51 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Dichtungen by Karl Stamm( Book )

6 editions published in 1920 in German and Undetermined and held by 36 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Aus dem Tornister by Karl Stamm( Book )

6 editions published in 1915 in German and held by 27 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Dichtungen : Gesamtausgabe by Karl Stamm( Book )

5 editions published in 1920 in German and held by 26 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Das hohelied : lyrische Dichtung by Karl Stamm( Book )

4 editions published between 1913 and 1918 in German and held by 24 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Die Kinder im Schlaraffenland by Hans Witzig( Book )

14 editions published between 1917 and 1960 in German and Undetermined and held by 17 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Briefe by Karl Stamm( Book )

5 editions published in 1931 in German and held by 13 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Lieder nach Gedichten von Karl Stamm, für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung by Walter Schulthess( )

3 editions published in 1967 in German and held by 12 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Briefe von Karl Stamm by Karl Stamm( Book )

2 editions published in 1931 in German and held by 9 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Karl Stamm by Karl Stamm( Book )

3 editions published between 1940 and 1942 in German and held by 7 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-no93028040/