Hans Castorp is born on August 11th, 1883 in Hamburg to a wealthy merchant family.
After the death of his parents, he is first brought up, still at a young age, by his grandfather Senator Hans Lorenz Castorp. After the senator’s death it is consul Tienappal, uncle of Hans’s deceased mother, who will be appointed guardian of the young orphan.
He is interested in drawing, mainly in representations of ships and port scenes.
Studies naval architecture at the Polytechnic School in Danzig and at the Technical Universities of Braunschweig and Karlsruhe.
After the death of his parents, he is first brought up, still at a young age, by his grandfather Senator Hans Lorenz Castorp. After the senator’s death it is consul Tienappal, uncle of Hans’s deceased mother, who will be appointed guardian of the young orphan.
He is interested in drawing, mainly in representations of ships and port scenes.
Studies naval architecture at the Polytechnic School in Danzig and at the Technical Universities of Braunschweig and Karlsruhe.
Can start working in August 1907 as an engineer-volunteer in the shipbuilding firm Tunder & Wilms Hamburg, but leaves for three weeks to the Swiss mountains, to take a breath after his heavy studies.
Visits his cousin Joachim Ziemszen in the International Sanatorium Berghof in Davos.
Remains in the sanatorium for a total of seven years and meets lots of famous and interesting people.
Returns to Germany in 1914, after the outbreak of the First World War, to serve as a soldier.
Starts in 1919 as a shipbuilder in Tunder & Wilms. When the old Wilms dies childless in 1923, Castorp inherits his shares. The firm is now called Tunder, Wilms & Castorp and Hans Castorp takes full charge of the thriving yard himself.
In his scarce spare time, he throws himself on painting ships, portraits and landscapes. Especially for his heathland paintings there is a lot of interest.
Homesick for the Sanatorium Berghof, which over time has become loss-making, he spends three months there in the summer of 1926.
In 1927, he sells his shares of the shipyard in Hamburg and invests a portion of the money in the sanatorium of Davos. From 1928 onwards, he continuously lives in Berghof, and, as the main shareholder, becomes the new director.
Draws and paints two days a week in the existing workshop of former head physician Behrens. His work is considered "too conservative" and is rejected by the leading galleries in Switzerland. Castorp begins collecting avant-garde art and transforms it into pastiches out of dissatisfaction with the contemporary art scene. His collection includes several big names.
In May 1960, he first meets Mr Claude-Jean Chauchat Sr, who pretends to be the son of Russian Clawdia Chauchat and her German lover Hans. Faced with the physical likeness and having read Clawdia’s diary, Hans Castorp recognizes Claude-Jean (° Hyères, November 29th, 1908) as his son.
From 1960 to 1964, Chauchat and his son Claude-Jean Jr (° Wilrijk, June 30, 1954) spend their holidays in Davos.
Claude-Jean Sr helps his old father making his final pastiche (“Reine de Kirghizie” by Yves Kleine and “Moules belges” by Marcel Broodtaars).
On June 19th, 1964, Hans Castorp dies in his sleep. He leaves his assets to his son but writes in his will that the collection of avant-garde art cannot be made public until fifty years after his death.