Childhood, ancestors, school and studies

1817 – Hans Theodor Woldsen Storm was born on September 14th in Husum, Markt 9, as the son of the lawyer Johann Casimir Storm (1790–1874); Mother: Lucie, née Woldsen (1797–1879).

1821 – Move to grandparents Woldsen’s house, Hohle Gasse 3.

1833 – First poem An Emma.

1834 – First published poem Sängers Abendlied in “Husumer Wochenblatt” on July 27th, 1834.

1835 – In autumn transfer to the Katharineum in Lübeck; there friendship with Ferdinand Röse, who introduced him to Goethe’s Faust and the poetry of Heine and Eichendorff.

1837 – Start of law studies in Kiel; Storm writes a fairy tale and poems for Bertha von Buchan; Engagement to 17-year-old Emma Kühl from Föhr.

1838 – Breaks off engagement; studies in Berlin, educational trip to Dresden. Publication of Gedichte in the “Neue Pariser Modeblätter”.

1839 – Return to the University of Kiel. Friendship with Theodor and Tycho Mommsen.

1842 – Bertha von Buchan rejects Theodor’s marriage proposal. State examination in law in Kiel. Beginning of the collection of legends and rhymes from Schleswig-Holstein. Theodor Storm has been living in Husum again since autumn.