Chronology of Georg Trakl's Life
(For additional information follow the links, to pictures, and to text documents.)

1887
2/3 - Georg Trakl is born at 14:30 in Salzburg, Waagplatz NR. 2 ("Schaffnerhouse", today NR, 1a). Father Tobias is a successful hardware goods dealer. Trakl is the fifth of seven children. To a large extent, mother Maria leaves the care of the children to the French Governess.
2/8 - Baptism in the Evangelical Christuskirche (Church of Christ), Salzburg.

1891
8/8 - Birth of sister Margarethe (Grete); she is often present in Trakl's writing, and is his only love.

1892
In autumn, begins attending an exercise school, which is affiliated with the catholic educational establishment. For religious education, he is enrolled in a Protestant school, where he becomes acquainted with his lifelong friend and promoter Erhard Buschbeck.

1893
Moves to the roomier dwelling, Waagplatz NR. 3. The living quarters are over the hardware store.

1897
Begins attending the Staatsgymnasium (humanistic High School of state) in autumn. Schoolmates: Buschbeck, Kalmár, Minnich among others.

1901
Trakl must repeat the fourth grade.

1904
First literary attempts, and membership in a poetry club ("Apollo", named later to "Minerva", until approximately 1906).

1905
Leaves High School after being forced to again repeat a grade. First drug experiences.
9/18 - Enrolled in the Practical Course in Pharmacy at dispensing pharmacy "The White Angel".

1906
3/31 – His one act play "Death Day" premieres in the City Theatre in Salzburg.
5/12 - His prose "Dream Country. An Episode" appears in the Salzburger People's Newspaper.
9/15 – His play "Fata Morgana" premiers at the in the City Theatre in Salzburg and is received poorly. Afterwards, Trakl destroys this text as well as "Death Day".

1907
Continual work crises; advancement to stronger drugs.

1908
2/26 – “The Morning Song", Georg's first published poem, appears in the Salzburger People's Newspaper.
9/20 - Conclusion of the Pharmacy Practical Course.
10/5 – Enrolles at the University of Vienna in pharmacy studies. Parallels Grete's study of piano at the Viennese music academy.

1909
Assembles his youthful poems in the "collection 1909" and discovers new poetical stimulations in Baudelaire, Rimbaud and others.
7/17 - Georg receives a preliminary test certification ('sufficient ') in his pharmaceutical studies.
10/17 - On Buschbeck's recommendation, the poems "Devotion", "Completion" and "A Passing" appear in the New Viennese Journal.

1910
Breakthrough to his mature lyric poetry.
6/18 - Death of the father Tobias; experiences financial problems from now on.
7/25 – Receives the degree Master of Pharmacy (cumulative rating of 'sufficient').
Late summer - Grete moves to Berlin to study piano.
10/1 – Begins active military service at the medical department in Vienna.

1911
Increasing depressions and drug excesses.
9/30 - End of military service.
10/15- 12/20 – Employed in Salzburg as a pharmacist at "The White Angel".
12/1 - Appointment as a Military Medical Assistant (rank of second lieutenant).

1912
March - The poem "Cheerful Spring" appears in “Der Ruf”, Vienna.
4/1 - Start of semi-annual duties in the pharmacy of the Innsbruck Garrison Hospital.
5/1 – “The Suburbs in Foehn” appears in the bi-monthly magazine “Der Brenner “, Innsbruck (on the recommendation of Buschbeck's friend Robert Mueller). Its publisher, Ludwig von Ficker, begins publishing Trakl's newest works, rapidly becomes his mentor and friend, and often grants Trakl refuge at his house. In addition, Trakl develops acquaintances with Der Brenner coworkers (Karl Röck, Max von Esterle) as well as Karl Kraus, Adolf Loos, Oskar Kokoschka and Karl Borromaeus Heinrich.
7/17 - Grete marries bookseller Arthur Langen in Berlin.
10/1 – Based on positive appraisals of his duties in the Innsbruck Garrison Hospital, Trakl is transitioned into active duty as a Military Medical Civil Servant.
11/30 - Transitions into the reserves, in order to begin an Accounting Trainee position in the Viennese Ministry for Public Works.
12/31 - Start of the Accounting Trainee position in the Viennese Ministry for Public Works.

1913
1/1 - Requests dismissal from his Accounting Trainee position. Thereafter, unsteady efforts to obtain suitable employment have him oscillating between Salzburg, Vienna and Innsbruck.
2/1 - Dissolution of the paternal hardware store.
April - Georg receives an offer for the publication of his manuscript of "Poems" from the Kurt Wolff publishing house, Leipzig. The distribution takes place in July.
Second half of August - journeys to Venice with Karl Kraus, Adolf Loos and wife Bessie, and Ficker.
12/10 - Only public reading given in Innsbruck, at an evening featuring "Brenner" writers.

1914
3/6 - The manuscript "Sebastian in Dream" is sent to the Kurt Wolff publishing house.
March - journeys to Berlin to visit Grete, who has suffered after an abortion. Meets with Else Lasker-Schüler.
2/27 - At Ficker's suggestion, Ludwig Wittgenstein awards 20,000 crowns from his donation for needy artists to Trakl. Because of the outbreak of WWI, Trakl never receives the money.
8/24 – Begins his service as a medic in the Austrian army.
September – Attempts suicide with a pistol following the battle of Grodek after suffering a break-down while single-handed caring for close to one hundred seriously wounded soldiers, prevented from succeeding by comrades.
10/7 – Taken to a Krakow Military Garrison Hospital for observation of his mental condition.
10/25.- 26 - Ficker visits and is the last of his friends to see him alive.
11/3 - Death occurs at 21:00 from an overdose of cocaine (heart failure).
11/6 - Burial at the Rakoviczer cemetery in Krakow.

1915
His final poems are printed in Der Brenner. The book "Sebastian in Dream" appears from the Kurt Wolff publishing house.

1917
9/23 - Grete shoots herself after a party in Berlin.

1919
The initial publication of the complete poetical works from the Kurt Wolff publishing house, edited by Karl Röck.

1925
10/7 – Ludwig von Ficker arranges for the transfer of Trakl's remains from Krakow and organizes a funeral attended by friends and admirers in Mühlau, Innsbruck.

1939
Erhard Buschbeck publishes Trakl's youthful poems under the title "From the Golden Chalice" with the Otto Müller publishing house, Salzburg.

1950's
The “re-discovery” of Trakl in German and American literary circles.

1969
The historical and critical edition of poems and letters appears (compiled by Walther Killy and Hans Szklenar) from the Otto Müller publishing house, Salzburg.