Historical Figures

Gorch Fock - the poet of the sea

His novels tell of adventures at sea, including the bestseller "Seefahrt ist Not!". However, the writer and marine Johann Kinau aka Gorch Fock conceived them on land. He died on May 31, 1916.

by Martina Bittermann

Hardly any other name is so associated with the love of seafaring and the longing for the vastness of the sea as Gorch Fock. The name reminds most of the two sailing ships - the "Gorch Fock" (I) is a museum ship in the port of Stralsund, the "Gorch Fock" (II) is known as a sailing training ship of the German Navy. Very few, however, know the poet Gorch Fock, whose real name was Johann Wilhelm Kinau - born in 1880 on the Elbe island of Finkenwerder.

Johann Kinau is too seasick for the sea

Even as a boy, the fisherman's son stood on the dyke and looked wistfully at the cutters and Ewern as they set sail towards the North Sea. After leaving school he would have liked to be a seaman, but he was too frail for the job and he quickly became seasick - a great disappointment for the 12-year-old.

Nevertheless, Kinau remained connected to the sea all his life - at his desk. During the day he works as a clerk at the shipping company Hapag on the Elbe and at night as Gorch Fock creating stories. In his diary he notes:

"I would like to write a book for the quiet in the country. A delicious book that they will read with quiet joy. Much of it stands out before my eyes, clearer and more beautiful than anything has ever stood before my eyes. Finkenwerder should appear in ruthless beauty ."Diary entry Johann Wilhelm Kinau alias Gorch Fock

Gorch Fock writes texts in Standard and Low German

The sail training ship "Gorch Fock" was named after the poet in 1958, Fock's niece Ulli Kinau acted as godmother.

Gorch Fock writes about his home town of Finkenwerder, which is now a district of Hamburg. About seafaring and the life of fishermen. He writes poems, novels, plays in Standard and Low German. Occasionally he also uses the pseudonyms Jakob Holst and Giorgio Focco.

Bestseller "Seafaring is Not!" abused by the Nazis

In 1913, Gorch Fock landed a bestseller:his novel "Seefahrt ist Not!" is translated into many languages ​​and is required reading in schools. Later, under the rule of the Nazi regime, the book was reprinted and misused as a propaganda tool. It is his deepest desires that move Gorch Fock when he lets his hero Klaus Mewes survive the wildest adventures.

"On land he is a child who likes to play with children. At sea, however, he is a daring daredevil who does not hide from any wind and would rather let a sail go into the sea than tuck in a reef. The fear that the boy did not know, has no place in the soul of the man." from "Seafaring is not!" by Gorch Fock

A dream comes true - and ends with the Skagerrak Battle

In 1916, during the First World War, Gorch Fock's lifelong wish came true. Originally drafted as an infantryman, he was allowed to switch to the navy at his own request - and go to sea. On the "SMS Wiesbaden" he will lookout on the first mast - only for one month. On May 30, during the Battle of the Skagerrak, the ship came under artillery fire from British battleships and sank a day later. Gorch Fock, 36 years old, goes down with the cruiser.

In the parental home of Johann Wilhelm Kinau aka Gorch Fock there is now a local history museum.

He was buried a little later with other sailors on the small Swedish island of Stensholmen. In memory of the local poet and namesake of the school ship of the same name, built in 1958, the Gorch Fock House is located in his parents' house in Hamburg-Finkenwerder. Volunteers run a local history museum there, which presents books, photos and documents not only by Gorch Fock, but also by his two brothers, Jacob and Rudolf Kinau, who are also poets. There are also documents on Finkenwerder's history in the listed building.