Hans Fallada

Stages in Hans Fallada’s life

1893–1922 · Childhood and youth

  1. 1893

    • Rudolf Ditzen is born in Greifswald on 21 July, the third of four children of district court judge Wilhelm Ditzen and his wife Elisabeth.

  2. 1899

    • His father is transferred to the Prussian Supreme Court (Kammergericht) in Berlin, and the family moves to the city.
    • Rudolf attends the Prinz-Heinrich-Gymnasium in Berlin-Schöneberg.

  3. From 1906

    • Attends the Bismarck-Gymnasium in Berlin-Wilmersdorf.
    Black-and-white portrait of the young Rudolf Ditzen wearing a dark suit.
    Rudolf Ditzen, around 1906.

  4. 1909

    • His father is appointed a judge at the Reichsgericht (Imperial Supreme Court).
    • The family moves to Leipzig.
    • Rudolf attends the Königin-Carola-Gymnasium.

  5. 1911

    • Attends the Fürstliches Gymnasium in Rudolstadt.
    • A “duel” with his schoolfriend Hanns Dietrich von Necker ends with von Necker’s death.
    Black-and-white portrait of Rudolf Ditzen as a young man.
    Rudolf Ditzen, around 1911.

  6. 1912

    • Admitted to the psychiatric hospital in Tannenfeld, Saxony.
    • Placed in the care of his aunt Adelaide Ditzen.

  7. 1913

    • Agricultural trainee on an estate in Posterstein, Thuringia.

  8. 1914

    • Volunteers for military service and serves for eleven days with the military transport corps in Leipzig.

  9. 1916

    • Assistant at the Chamber of Agriculture in Stettin; research assistant at a potato-growing association in Berlin.

  10. 1917

    • Undergoes treatment for drug addiction in Carlsfeld near Halle.
    • Works as an accounts clerk on various estates.

  11. 1919

    • Works as a freelance writer in Berlin.
    • Completes his first novel, “Der junge Goedeschal”.
    • Stays at the Baumgarten manor estate near Dramburg in Pomerania.
    • Undergoes addiction treatment in Tannenfeld.

  12. 1920

    • “Der junge Goedeschal” is published by Rowohlt.
    • Undergoes addiction treatment in Carlsfeld and Rinteln an der Weser.
    • Works as an estate accounts clerk in Marzdorf, West Prussia.

  13. 1921

    • Patient at the Pomeranian Provincial Mental Hospital in Stralsund.
    • Lives and works in locations between Rostock, Stralsund and Rügen.

  14. 1922

    • Works near Bad Doberan in Mecklenburg.
    • Estate accounts manager at Neu Schönfeld in Lower Silesia.
    • Works in Marzdorf, West Prussia.
    • Stays in Gudderitz on Rügen.

From 1923 · Writer and family man

  1. 1923

    • Novel “Anton und Gerda”.
    • Stays in Gudderitz on Rügen.
    • Estate accounts manager at the Radach manor near Drossen.
    • Works as a bookkeeper in the grain trade in Drossen, Neumark.

  2. 1924

    • Drossen.
    • Imprisoned in Greifswald.
    • Stays in Gudderitz on Rügen.

  3. 1925

    • Accounts clerk in Lübgust, Pomerania.
    • Estate accounts manager in Neuhaus near Lütjenburg, Holstein.
    • Imprisoned in Neumünster.

  4. 1928

    • Becomes engaged to Anna Margarete Issel.
    • Works as an address clerk in Hamburg.

  5. 1929

    • Marries Anna Margarete Issel on 5 April.
    • Works as an advertising canvasser and local-news editor for the “General-Anzeiger” in Neumünster.

  6. 1930

    • Employee of the Rowohlt publishing house in Berlin.
    • His son Ulrich is born on 14 March.
    • Moves to Neuenhagen near Berlin.

  7. 1931

    • Novel “Bauern, Bonzen und Bomben” (“A Small Circus”).

  8. 1932

    • International success of the novel “Kleiner Mann – was nun?” (“Little Man, What Now?”).
    Cover of Hans Fallada’s novel “Kleiner Mann – was nun?” (“Little Man, What Now?”), published in 1932.
    “Kleiner Mann – was nun?” (“Little Man, What Now?”), 1932.

  9. 1933

    • Moves to Berkenbrück.
    • Arrested by the SA and detained for eleven days in Fürstenwalde.
    • His daughter Lore is born on 18 July.
    • Buys a house in Carwitz near Feldberg.
    Black-and-white portrait of Hans Fallada wearing glasses and a suit.
    Hans Fallada, around 1933.

  10. 1934

    • Novels “Wer einmal aus dem Blechnapf frißt” (“Once a Jailbird”) and “Wir hatten mal ein Kind” (“Once We Had a Child”).

  11. 1935

    • Novel “Das Märchen vom Stadtschreiber, der aufs Land flog” (“Sparrow Farm”).

  12. 1937

    • Novel “Wolf unter Wölfen” (“Wolf Among Wolves”).
    • His father dies on 14 April.

  13. 1938

    • Novel “Der eiserne Gustav” (“Iron Gustav”).

  14. 1940

    • Novel “Der ungeliebte Mann” (“The Unloved Man”).
    • His third child, Achim, is born on 3 April.

  15. 1943

    • Novel “Ein Mann will hinauf” (“A Man Wants to Move Up”).
    • Travels to France with the Reich Labour Service.

  16. 1944

    • Divorces Anna Ditzen on 5 July.
    • Meets Ursula Losch.
    • Compulsorily committed to the state psychiatric institution in Strelitz.
    • Writes the manuscript of “Der Trinker” (“The Drinker”).

  17. 1945

    • Marries Ursula Losch on 1 February.
    • Appointed mayor of Feldberg.
    • Moves to Berlin.
    • Meets Johannes R. Becher.
    • Works as a freelance contributor to the “Tägliche Rundschau”.

  18. 1946

    • Writes the novels “Der Alpdruck” (“The Nightmare”) and “Jeder stirbt für sich allein” (“Alone in Berlin”).
    • Admitted to the psychiatric clinic at Berlin’s Charité hospital.
    Black-and-white portrait of Hans Fallada in 1946.
    Hans Fallada, around 1946.

  19. 1947

    • Dies of heart failure on 5 February in Berlin-Niederschönhausen.