Rainer Maria Rilke

1875 - 1926, Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic)

Rainer Maria Rilke was a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist. He is widely recognized as one of the most lyrically intense German-language poets. His writings include one novel, several collections of poetry, and several volumes of correspondence. His best-known works include the poetry collections "Duino Elegies" and "Sonnets to Orpheus," the semi-autobiographical novel "The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge," and a collection of ten letters published after his death under the title "Letters to a Young Poet." Rilke's poetic style was highly introspective and engaged deeply with questions of beauty, suffering, solitude, and the profound challenges of connecting with others. His work has influenced generations of poets, and he is frequently ranked as one of the most significant poets of the early 20th century.