Following the bibliography published in 2006, this chronicle of the life and work of the author Theodor Fontane closes the second gap in Fontane research and thus satisfies a need which has been keenly felt for a long time. All available sources relating to the history of Fontane’s life and work are accessed here systematically for the first time, and the information thus gained is arranged under individual headings (daily events, encounters, work, reading, prints, letters from and to Fontane) and presented chronologically. The chronicle makes use both of the comprehensive editions of Fontane’s letters and diaries published over recent decades and of unpublished archive material. The chronicle is not just of interest to Fontane specialists, but also provides a compendium of literary and historical life in the 19th century. With its multitude of quotations both from Fontane himself and from those with whom he had contact, the chronicle is also recommended reading for all lovers of the author’s work.