Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), a German-born Swiss writer, poet, and painter, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946. His extensive body of work, both in poetry and prose, explores themes of authenticity, self-awareness, and spirituality. With novels such as "Siddhartha" and "Steppenwolf," Hesse, alongside Kafka and Mann, ranks among the most widely read German writers of the 20th century, with translations into over 60 languages and more than 150 million copies sold worldwide.