Debt Baron and Poet – Detlev von Lililiencron in Borby

Dog-ear///? – The Literary Discussion

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 12:30 p.m., Rainer Beuthel will launch his literary series “Dog-ear///? – The Literary Discussion” at the Künstlerhaus as part of the “Nach dem Markt” (After the Market) events.

For two years, from 1879 to 1881, Liliencron rented a room at Jungmannufer 2 and attended civil service training at the district office on Mühlenberg every day. On the side—even during working hours—he wrote poetry and had his first poems printed for publication at the local Schwensen printing house (“Borbyer Sonderdrucke”). He sent them to Klaus Groth and Theodor Storm, among others, for evaluation…

This was preceded by a military career as a Prussian officer, during which he took part in three wars, but which ultimately had to end due to a constantly growing mountain of debt. Baron von Liliencron’s escapades in the army were no longer tolerable. Now, after an interlude in the USA, where he had hoped to receive financial support from supposedly wealthy relatives, he was supposed to embark on a solid career in the civil service, but things turned out quite differently – he failed here too.

How can a Bundeswehr barracks be named after someone and at the same time a poetry lectureship at the University of Kiel be awarded annually under his name as a literary award? Liliencron’s colorful biography makes it possible.

Librarian Rainer Beuthel introduces the poet’s life story and reads from his letters and poems written in Borby, among other things.