The first Hermann Hesse Yearbook was published in 2002, two years after the founding of the International Hermann Hesse Society on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birth of the 1946 Nobel Laureate for Literature. The yearbook shows ways for approaching the phenomenon of the world-wide fascination in different cultures with the work of Hermann Hesse (1877–1962) and explores the topicality of an author of our time. Each yearbook contains articles together with a discussion section, a Hesse bibliography and notices from the Society.