Friedrich Hölderlin (* 20 March 1770 in Lauffen am Neckar, † 07 June 1843 in Tübingen) ranks amongst Bad Homburg's most prominent residents. The famous German poet lived here twice, each time for two years. His unhappy love for Susette Gontard, the wife of a Frankfurt banker, brought Hölderlin to Homburg the first time, while it was his deteriorating mental state that drove him here a second time. His famous work, "Hyperion", characterised an entire era. The monument in Bad Homburg's spa gardens, which was created in his honour, was designed by none other than the city's famous master builder, Louis Jacobi, while the relief was created by the sculptor, Jacob May. The memorial was donated to the City by the Historical and Archaeological Association of of Bad Homburg. It is the third-oldest Hölderlin monument in Germany and is situated along a path that leads to the "Wiesthal", an natural area much loved by Hölderlin. Since 1983, Bad Homburg has also been paying tribute to Friedrich Hölderlin with a literature prize carrying his name, which has been won by some of the most famous writers of the German-speaking world.
