Hermann Kletke

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Hermann Kletke (14 March 1813 – 2 May 1886) was a German poet, novelist and journalist. He is best known as a writer for children. His songs are warm, simple and often funny. He wrote Kinderlieder and Die Kinderwelt, and his fairy tales for young readers appear in Almanach deutscher Volksmärchen.

Kletke was born in Breslau, Prussia (now Wroclaw, Poland). He studied philosophy at the University of Breslau and earned a doctorate. While a student, he joined the educational fraternity Corps Borussia Breslau. In 1836 his poetry collection Gedichte was published.

Because of strict censorship after Metternich, he moved to Berlin in 1837, and later spent time in Vienna before settling in Berlin. There he worked for the Vossische Zeitung, staying there until his death; Friedrich Stephany followed him as editor-in-chief.

His poem "Der Sandmann" was set to music by Robert Schumann in his Liederalbum fur die Jugend, Op. 79 (No. 12, 1849). He died in Berlin in 1886 at the age of 73.