Mombert, Alfred (1872–1942)

German poet and critic. He wrote many lyrics, mostly in a Symbolistic vein. Early conventional verses were collected in Tag und Nacht/Day and Night 1894; those which followed became more experimental, as Der Glühende/The Glowing Man 1896, Die Blüte des Chaos/The Blossom of Chaos 1905, Der Held der Erde/The Hero of the Earth 1919, and Atair 1925. In 1919 he wrote an allegory on the Great War in terms of mythology, a favourite vehicle which he had used previously in a trilogy of what he called ‘symphonic dramas’ 1907–11, having as their central figure ‘Aeon’, who symbolizes humankind. Sfaira der Alte/Sfaira the Elder 1936 was the last work he wrote before falling foul of the Nazis. The concentration camp to which they sent him hastened his death, but during the few months he lived after his release he wrote a second part to Sfaira embodying his experiences. It was published after his death. The best selection of his works is his own, Der himmlische Zecher 1951.

Born in Karlsruhe, he trained as a barrister.