Waldbröl 1912

[freelancer]

As biographies have it, Lawrence spent two weeks at a tiny little place called Waldbröl in Germany in the year 1912. There he had a kind of platonic relationship with a cousin and he then also decided to pursue a carreer as a writer. The episode was used in in his unfinished novel Mr.Noon which also contains a lot of more information about the region around Waldbröl. Interestingly enough, Lawrnece wrote a poem on his way to Waldbröl ("Bei Hennef") in which he mentions a river. Many biographers mistook this river as the River Rhine. In fact it is the River Sieg that Lawrence wrote about as he was waiting for his train from Hennef to Waldröl. The Rhine cannot be seen from Hennef as it is quite a few miles away, yet, Hennef is located on the River Sieg. Anyway, I would like to know whether visitors of the forum know more about Lawrence's time in Waldbröl and especially the famliy he visited there. According to my knowledge this family left Waldbröl in 1935 to move to Bad Godesberg, but that is all I've been able to find out. I do know the texts "Hailstorm in the Rhineland" (Pheonix) and others which refer to this episode, but there must be some more information on this important though brief episode in Lawrnece's life. Maybe somebody knows more about that??!!

[Janine]

Hi, I am sure there is something in the biography I am presently reading, but I am up to that section now; I also have another very good concise biography and I will look up this area of Germany and this particular trip and get back to you. A few things I can add because I do know about the trip briefly, but it has been awhile since I read the biography. Be patient and I will try to dig some more information up for you. Until then here is what I do know. I don't believe the trip made Lawrence decide to become a writer. He was writing all the time, long before this trip; he knew he was going in that direction. He had actually started "Sons and Lovers", which he at that point, he referred to as "Paul Morel". He often had titles made up or changed by his publisher. I just found that out. As in his first book "The White Peacock" he was going to call it "Nethermere" and he suggested other names that were rather silly; then the publisher came up with the final title. I think that after having the first novel printed and being paid well for it, he pretty much knew writing was his vocation and passion. Also, after his near death experience with pnemonia he was set in his mind; he would become an author. This illness and recovery happened preceeding this brief Germany trip. He was told he could not return to teaching or it would kill him. Consumption was ruled out, but still hung over his head and he did everything to prevent the dreaded disease. There was a lot of stigma that the time about comsumptives; they were treated almost as bad as lepers. The trip to Germany was, to a great extend, a welcome change - to go to a nicer climate, more condusive to his full recovery. If I am correct his relatives invited him to come visit, and he took the offer up readily, as a way to go to a warmer, drier place for rest. It probably offered a kind of haven to help him to stablise his mental health, as well. He had been struck often with depression over his mother's death, which may have brought on the severe illness to begin with. Germany looked attractive, and also he thought he could acquire better skills in speaking German, which along with French, were studies he was then pursuing. He could speak Frence more fluidly and he hoped to learn both equally, so that he could teach languages in a secondary school, such as a college/university I would imagine. This would be a healthier choice for him; he could emigrate to Germany, or wherever. This way he could support his writing and have more time to concentrate on his main goals. To take the short trip would greatly lift his spirits and no doubt he came back in better condition mentally and physically. Hope this helps you for now. I will come up with more hopefully.