Rainer Maria Rilke

Rilke was born in Prague, then the capital of Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic). To inspire his poetry, Rilke traveled to many destinations in Europe and North Africa, spending significant amounts of time in Paris, Russia, and Italy. Writing in both lyrical prose and verse, Rilke is best known for his contributions to German literature, although he also wrote more than 400 poems in French. Some of Rilke’s best-known works include Letters to a Young Poet, Duino Elegies, and The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge. Rilke’s work is often described as “mystical.” Rilke died of leukemia age 51 in Switzerland.