Experience Hermann Hesse in Calw (Front building of the Gerberei Museum)

The tannery building was constructed on the banks of the Nagold around 1800 and introduces the visitor to the tradition of tanning in Calw, a trade that shaped Hesse’s childhood and youth like no other. This is reflected in the pseudonym, “Gerbersau“, which the author used for Calw in a series of stories offering insights into the life of a small Swabian town. The front area of the museum contains manuscripts and photographs which chart Hesse’s childhood experiences and their literary transformations. The influence of Hesse’s grandfather, the noted linguist Hermann Gundert, on his grandson is likewise featured.