Siddhartha

Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) was one of the great literary figures of the twentieth century.  Born in Calw to a Protestant family, he rebelled against the classical education that he received in Swabian monastery schools.  Hesse began working as a locksmith and a bookseller, and later took to writing as a profession.  Settled in Switzerland, he traveled extensively, including India.  Politically, Hesse was opposed to German militarism, for which he was condemned by the Nazi government.  In recognition of his contribution to literature, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1946.  His other classic works include Der Steppenwolf and the Glass Bead Game.