In the footsteps of my grandfather Alfred Bassermann

Heidrun Halbaur has been exploring the life of her grandfather Alfred Bassermann for some time now, captured in countless documents, letters, and diary entries he left behind. These reveal who Alfred Bassermann really was: a husband and father, a researcher, a writer, and a soldier. Alfred Bassermann was a man of many talents and numerous passions. He extensively engaged with astrology, wrote puppet and theater plays, and introduced his children to art, music, and poetry. But above all, it was Dante who accompanied him throughout his life, leading him, among other places, to Italy, where he devoted himself entirely to studying the poet and translating his texts. The authors outline – particularly through his personal records – a detailed portrait of a cultured citizen of the 19th century from Mannheim, Schwetzingen, and Königsfeld.