Annette von Droste-Hülshoff is one of the most significant female poets in German literature. During her lifetime, only two volumes of poetry were published: the collection "Gedichte" in 1838 (expanded edition in 1844) and the poem cycle "Das geistliche Jahr" in 1851; the latter contains Droste-Hülshoff's religious poetry, which connects to the tradition of Baroque religious poetry while addressing her own life and faith issues. With her nature poems, as well as her historical and horror ballads, Droste made a distinctive contribution to the literature of the Vormärz period. Like few other lyrical works in German literature, Droste-Hülshoff's is characterized by an epic quality. The poems tell stories, whether they depict simple events, conflicts, narratives, or inner psychological processes. This carefully commented selection edition has been newly conceived by Bernd Kortländer.