Formally orientated on traditional role models such as Joseph von Eichendorff and Nikolaus Lenau, his poetry is characterised by emotional depth and tenderness, archaic imagery and a fast-paced rhythm.
Nolte frequently approaches the contemporary world and personal experiences through ancient symbols, myths, historical figures and nature.
At the age of 21, he served as a soldier at the German-German frontier, where he refused to shoot at fellow Germans who tried to escape from the Soviet- to the US-occupied sector.
Unpleasant experiences with the foreign imposed Soviet system did not prevent Nolte from developing a fascination with Russian culture and landscape.
Nolte remains deeply impressed with the archaic and sometimes brute force he encountered in the Russian wilderness, where "powerful spirits are still alive, forming an essential part of people's daily lives."