Detailed Timeline (1928-1942)

The first biography of Stefan Zweig (author: Erwin Rieger) is published. The third volume of the great essays (on Casanova, Stendhal and Tolstoy) appears under the title "Three Poets of Their Lives". Travel to France and Belgium. Trip to the Soviet Union to celebrate Leo Tolstoy's 100th birthday.

"Joseph Fouché – Portrait of a Political Man" is published, as well as the play "The Lamb of the Poor" (premiere 1930 in Breslau) and the novella collection "Little Chronicle". Lecture tour through Germany and Belgium. Memorial speech at the funeral service for Hugo von Hofmannsthal at the Vienna Burgtheater.

Great trip to Italy, visit to Maxim Gorky in Sorrento. Meeting with Albert Schweitzer in Günsbach. Zweig's play "The Lamb of the Poor" is performed in Breslau, Hanover, Lübeck, Prague and Vienna.

Commission for the libretto of the opera "The Silent Woman". Trip to France, visit to his friend Joseph Roth. The fourth essay volume "Healing by the Spirit" (on Sigmund Freud, Anton Mesmer and Mary Baker-Eddy) is published.

"Marie Antoinette. Portrait of a Middle Character" is published by Insel-Verlag, Leipzig. Travels to France and Italy, lectures in Florence and Milan.

Book burnings by the National Socialists, in which Stefan Zweig's books are also burned. His publications may no longer be distributed in Germany. Until 1938, Zweig's books appear with Herbert Reichner Verlag, Vienna. In Basel, preliminary work on "Triumph and Tragedy of Erasmus of Rotterdam". Trip to France and Italy. In autumn, longer stay in London, where Zweig rents a small apartment (Portland Place 11).

After the police search of the Salzburg house, Zweig moves to London. Friderike remains in Salzburg. "Triumph and Tragedy of Erasmus of Rotterdam" is published. Lotte Altmann becomes Zweig's secretary; together with her, Zweig travels to Scotland to collect material for the biography "Mary Stuart". In August, trip to Switzerland and Salzburg. The dissolution of the Salzburg household is planned.

In Dresden, premiere of the opera "The Silent Woman" by Richard Strauss, for which Stefan Zweig wrote the libretto. Shortly after the premiere, the opera is banned in Germany. Trip to Switzerland, to France. Lecture tour in the USA. The biography "Mary Stuart" is published.

In London, move to a larger apartment (Hallam Street 49). In Vienna, Stefan Zweig's collected stories appear in two volumes. The religious-historical study "Castellio against Calvin – A Conscience against Violence" is published. In August, first trip to Brazil, numerous readings and lectures. Then to Argentina for the PEN Congress in Buenos Aires.

In Vienna, a volume of collected essays, prefaces, speeches, etc. appears: "Encounters with People, Books, Cities". The Salzburg house is sold. "Magellan. The Man and his Deed" is published.

Stefan Zweig travels to Portugal with Lotte Altmann. Death of his mother. In August, application for British citizenship. Divorce from Friderike in December. At the National Socialist book burning in Salzburg, Stefan Zweig's books are also burned. Lecture tour through 30 American cities.

Marriage to Lotte Altmann, in July move from London to Bath, UK. Beginning of work on a two-volume biography of Honoré de Balzac. The novel "Impatience of the Heart" appears in London and with both exile publishers Gottfried Bermann-Fischer (Stockholm) and Allert de Lange (Amsterdam). "Words at Sigmund Freud's Coffin" on 26.9., Golders Green Crematorium, London.

Lotte and Stefan Zweig move into their own house in Bath. In March, Lotte and Stefan Zweig become British citizens. In April, trip to give a lecture "Yesterday's Vienna" at the Théâtre Marigny in Paris. In Paris, work on "Balzac". In July, trip with Lotte from London to New York, then lecture tour through South America. Return to New York. Last encounters with German exile writers. Work on the book "Brazil. Land of the Future".

At Yale University in New Haven, work on the Amerigo Vespucci biography (published 1944 as "Amerigo – History of a Historical Error"). Summer in Ossining, NY. First version of the autobiography "The World of Yesterday" (original title "Three Lives") completed. End of August, trip to Brazil; in Petrópolis, "Chess Story" is created. Beginning of a study on Montaigne.

News about the expansion of the world war leads to worsening depression. On February 22, suicide of Lotte and Stefan Zweig. Contrary to the testamentary wish, the Zweig couple receives a state funeral at the cemetery of Petrópolis. In May 1942, the University of Vienna decides to revoke Stefan Zweig's doctorate.