Hesse works as apprentice at Perrot church clock factory in Calw for 15 months.

Hesse finishes his bookshop apprenticeship in Tübingen at Heckenhauer bookshop and continues studying literature and philosophy as self-taught man.

Hesse works as bookseller at Heckenhauer bookshop.
The publication of his first collection of poems Romantische Lieder [Romantic songs] appears in October 1898 and his prose passage Eine Stunde hinter Mitternacht [One Hour after Midnight] appears in June 1899.

Work as assistent at Reich bookshop in Basle.
Impiego come assistente presso la libreria Reich di Basilea.

In Spring Hesse takes his first journey to Northern Italy for 7 weeks.
Hinterlassene Schriften und Gedichte von Hermann Lauscher [Posthumous Works and Poems by Hermann Lauscher] appears in Autumn.

Hesse works at Wattenwyl antiquarian bookshop in Basle. This will be his last regular job as employee.

Death of his mother. Hesse dedicates her the collection Gedichte [Poems].

April, second journey to Italy all the way to Tuscany; he travels with Maria Bernoulli from Basle, the first swiss professional woman photographer, whom he will get engaged to the same year.

Peter Camenzind is published, whose big success allows him to marry Maria Bernoulli. They move to Gaienhofen, on the German side of lake Constance. Freelance author and writer for numerous papers. Franz von Assisi appears.

Birth of his first son Bruno.

Unterm Rad [Beneath the Wheel] is published. Third trip to Northern Italy together with the painter Fritz Widmann. Hesse is co-publisher of the liberal magazine März, critical of the German Empire.

Hesse moves into a new house in Gaienhofen with his family.

Birth of his second son Heiner.

The novel Gertrud is published.

Birth of his third son Martin.
Trip to Umbria and Tuscany, Italy with Othmar Schoeck and Fritz Brun.

September – December
Journey to Ceylon and Indonesia with the painter Hans Sturzenegger.