The House of Carl and Gerhard Hauptmann

Gerhart Hauptmann (1862-1946) – “the father of German naturalist drama” awarded, in 1912, with The Nobel Prize in Literature for his overall creative output. It was in Szklarska Poręba that he wrote his most outstanding books: “The Weavers”, “The Beaver Coat”, “Drayman Henschel”, “Hannele”, or “College Crampton”.

The older of two brothers Carl Hauptmann (1858-1921) – a philosopher, biologist, poet, playwright became famous mainly after the publication of “The Mountain Ghost”, a collection of nine adventures experienced by a legendary ruler of The Karkonosze Mountains.

The Hauptmanns’ name was always attracting many outstanding guests originating from cultural and scientific European circles. In time their house became a special place for making social and artistic contacts, for initiating the establishment of an artistic colony in Szklarska Poręba. Formally the colony was constituted after Carl Hauptmann’s death – in 1922 “An Association of St. Lucas Artists” was founded.