Like all of Hermann Hesses’ major works, the Demian, written by the 40-year-old author in the midst of World War I, has an unusual as well as fascinating origin and effect storey. The fact that this book was completed in October 1917 but only published in June 1919, a year after the war ended, was due to the author’s ignorance. Because Hesse recommended the manuscript to the publisher as the first book by a sickly young poet, Emil Sinclair, a time-critical poet who had previously only been known for his pacifist rants and stories in newspapers and magazines (die gleichfalls von Hesse stammten). Despite its incognito status, the book received a tumultuous reception and was awarded the Fontane-Preis for the finest first-time novel by a young author the following year.
