Alexander von Bernus

Bernus, Alexander von (Lindau, 1880-1965, Donaumünster nr. Donauwörth), was originally surnamed Grashey. He was adopted by an uncle and aunt on his mother's side, whose name he was given and whose considerable property he inherited. He devoted his life to poetry, generous hospitality, alchemy, and medieval medicine, varied occasionally with studies of theosophy and anthroposophy. He was especially interested in the transmigration of souls. A personality of character and distinction, he won numerous literary friends, including Wolfskehl, Däubler, Mombert, Edschmid, Bergengruen, Ricarda Huch, A. Paquet, F. Schnack, and S. Zweig, as well as the painters Kubin and Thylmann. In 1916 he founded an anthroposophical periodical, Das Reich, whose notable contributors included R. Steiner. He was a facile traditional, but not negligible, poet; for much of his verse has a bewitching musical quality. His collections of poetry include Aus Rauch und Raum (1903), Leben, Traum und Tod (1904), Maria im Rosenhag (1909), Die gesammelten Gedichte (1918), Gold um Mitternacht (1930, extended in 1948), and a final selection using an earlier title (Leben, Traum und Tod, 1962). He published only a portion of his output. Wachsen am Wunder (1943) is his autobiography. He deserves credit for translations of many English poets, including Keats, Shelley, Blake, Morris, and Swinburne.