Beneath our feet lies a path named for poetry. We are standing before the Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele. This memorial commemorates the Persian poet Hafis. He lived around 1320 to 1389. His work inspired Goethe.
The Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele stands in Meusdorf. Find it at the corner of Höltystrasse 37 and Hafisweg. The street, now Hafisweg, was renamed in 1950. Before that, it was Langenauweg.
Imagine Leipzig in 1972. It was then that this monument was erected. It was likely through the efforts of exiled Iranian citizens living in East Germany. The Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele underwent restoration in 1996. It is now a protected monument.
Observe the stele’s form. It is a square column made of gray sandstone. The Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele is 1.60 meters tall. The front presents a full-figure relief of Hafis. Below, his name is inscribed in Arabic script.
Now, consider the inscriptions on the sides of the Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele. The left side identifies Hafis. It calls him the “byname of the Persian poet Schems Edin Mohamed.” It notes he lived in Shiraz in the 14th century. It mentions his collection of poems, “Diwan.” This collection was translated into German in 1812. It inspired Goethe’s “West-östlicher Divan.”
The right side of the Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele quotes Goethe’s work. “And should the whole world sink,” it reads. “Hafis, with you, with you alone, I will compete.” It continues “Pleasure and pain be ours. To the twins. Common. Now sound song with its own fire. For you are older. You are newer.” It concludes with “Goethe, West-östlicher Divan.”
Think of the cultural bridge this monument represents. The Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele links Persian poetry to German literature. It connects Hafis’s ancient verses to Goethe’s inspired response. It brings together East and West. It enriches Leipzig’s cultural landscape. There is also a Goethe-Hafis monument in Weimar since 2000. Since 2001, there has even been a Goethe & Hafis publishing house in Bonn.
Let us appreciate this tribute to a poet. The Hafis-Gedenkstein Stele serves as a reminder. Poetry transcends borders and inspires across centuries.