The author recounts his early life from birth through formative years, describing family loss, adoption by an actor who became stepfather, and the household's close ties to the theatre. He details childhood exposure to stagecraft and painting, early amateur performances, musical awakenings prompted by piano and readings, and the influence of a country schooling that introduced literature and contemporary events such as the struggle in Greece. The narrative follows his schooling, fragile childhood health, and the gradual shaping of artistic ambition, concluding with his move into the cultural and professional milieu of Dresden and the beginnings of a public career.