Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Rilke is treated almost like a pop star on social media, and his poetry has the makings of a hit: the poet Rainer Maria Rilke is, even more than 150 years after his birth, a cult figure. Young influencers interpret his poetry, and Lady Gaga’s upper arm is adorned with a tattooed Rilke verse. He appears on calendars and even funeral notices. A word‑artist who devoted his life entirely to the art of poetry.
He remains a phenomenon to this day. What explains his enduring popularity? What is the secret of his poetry, and what defines Rilke as a person?
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
01:41 Who was Rilke?
03:27 What did Rilke write?
06:11 What makes Rilke so relevant today?
07:28 How can Rilke change your life?´
CREDITS:
REPORT: Jana Oertel
CAMERA: Robert Richter
EDITING: David Jacobi
PRODUCER: Ruben Kalus
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Matthias Frickel, Melanie von Marschalck
#dwculture #dwcultureexplained
For more visit: dw.com/en/culture/s-1441
Please follow DW's netiquette: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G
Rilke is treated almost like a pop star on social media, and his poetry has the makings of a hit: the poet Rainer Maria Rilke is, even more than 150 years after his birth, a cult figure. Young influencers interpret his poetry, and Lady Gaga’s upper arm is adorned with a tattooed Rilke verse. He appears on calendars and even funeral notices. A word‑artist who devoted his life entirely to the art of poetry.
He remains a phenomenon to this day. What explains his enduring popularity? What is the secret of his poetry, and what defines Rilke as a person?
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
01:41 Who was Rilke?
03:27 What did Rilke write?
06:11 What makes Rilke so relevant today?
07:28 How can Rilke change your life?´
CREDITS:
REPORT: Jana Oertel
CAMERA: Robert Richter
EDITING: David Jacobi
PRODUCER: Ruben Kalus
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Matthias Frickel, Melanie von Marschalck
#dwculture #dwcultureexplained
For more visit: dw.com/en/culture/s-1441
Please follow DW's netiquette: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G
