Walter Benjamin: A Brief Biographical Chronology

1892: Born in Berlin, (July 15th) in the bosom of a prosperous, cultivated Jewish family. His father was an art dealer.
1902: Completes studies at the Freidrich Wilhelm Gymnasium of Berlin - Charlottenburg.
1912: Begins studies in philosophy at the University of Berlin, transfers to the University of Friburg.
1913: Summer; visits Paris for the first time.
1914: Presides over the Association of Free Students of Berlin; an organisation critical of German national militarism. He begins to publish articles, some under the pseudonym of "ARDOR", in the journal Der Anfang, of which he is founder.
1915: Continues studies in philosophy at the University of Munich
1917: Marries Dora Sophie Pollak, with whom he moves to Switzerland.
1918: His son Stefan is born. He begins to collect old children's books.
1919: Receives a Doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Bern. His doctoral thesis is entitled The Concept of Art Criticism in German Romanticism.
1920: Returns to Berlin and begins learning Hebrew under Eric Gutkin. Dora makes a gift to him of the painting The Introduction of the Miracle, by Paul Klee.
1921: Falls in love with Jula Cohn. Purchases Angelus Novus, by Paul Klee.
1923: Befriends Theodore W. Adorno and Erich Fromm.
1924: Sojourns in Capri during 6 months. Becomes interested in Marxist philosophy due to the influence of the Russian Communist Asja Lacis and the writings of Luk cs.
1926: Lives in Paris and visits Moscow for 3 months.
1927: Returns from the USSR. The Kabbalist scolar Gershon Scholem invites him to work at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
1929: Meets Bertolt Brecht in Berlin. Publishes the essay Surrealism, the Last Instance of European Intelligence.
1930: The divorce with Dora Pollak is pronounced.
1932: Travels to Ibiza.
1933: As National-socialism rises to power in Germany, he decides to move to Paris. Travels again to Ibiza.
1934: Visits Brecht in Denmark
1934-5: Lives in San Remo at the hotel run by Dora Pollak.
1936: Again visits Brecht in Denmark. Publishes the essay Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Ultimately to no avail, he iniciates proceedures to obtain French citizenship.
1938: Stays in Denmark with Brecht for the last time.
1939: Interned for 2 months in a french concentration camp for german aliens.
1940: Thanks to Max Horkheimer, he obtains a visa to reside in the United States. With the prospect of the Nazis imminent arrival, he leaves Paris in June, heading for the Spanish border. During the night of September 26 - 27th, after being told by the authorities that he may not remain in Spain and knowing that the Gestapo awaited him at the French border, he takes his own life.