A Life of Diverse Pursuits
Paul Hübner was a German painter, poet, and writer. Born in Lörrach, Germany, his early life was shaped by necessity; due to a lack of funds, he left the Hans-Thoma-Gymnasium and worked as a chemical laboratory technician in Basel. His creative inclinations emerged early, as he began writing poems, stories, and drama drafts at the age of fifteen. Following a walking journey to Italy in the mid-1930s, he prepared for theological studies, though his path was interrupted by military service. After being wounded in Lapland in 1941, he returned to Lörrach to work as a chemical technician. His professional life later transitioned through roles as a freelance artist, a graphic designer for the Suchard chocolate factory, and a teacher.
Artistic Evolution and Literary Works
As a self-taught painter, Hübner gained recognition through exhibitions in cities such as Baden-Baden, Basel, Freiburg im Breisgau, Munich, and Sens, France. His visual work underwent several stylistic shifts:
Hübner was also a prolific writer. His literary output included the novella Aus dem Wanderleben des T. Balder, the novel Der Berg, and his 1985 publication, Lappland-Tagebuch 1941, a secret wartime diary reflecting on the contrast between the beauty of the Arctic landscape and the horrors of war.
