Nobody suspected that little Immanuel, known as "Manelchen", would one day become a world-famous philosopher. Kant came from a pious family of craftsmen. His environment was characterised by work and religion. His intellectual talent was recognised, and it enabled him to attend the best school in Königsberg. The strict, religious school routine defined his childhood. Kant was a good pupil, but he did not like the monotonous lessons.
Kant had fond memories of his mother, who passed away when he was 13 years old: "She planted and nurtured the first seed of goodness in me, ... her teachings have had an everlasting healing influence on my life."