Willibald Alexis
Willibald Alexis, born Georg Wilhelm Heinrich Häring in Breslau, Prussia, was a notable German writer and poet of the 19th century. After moving to Berlin with his family as a child, he initially pursued a legal career, working as a junior lawyer at the Berlin Court of Appeals. However, his passion for literature led him to abandon law in favor of writing, beginning with contributions to the Berlin publication, Konversationsblatt. Alexis earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1828 and is best known for his romantic historical novels, particularly "Walladmor," which closely emulates the style of Sir Walter Scott. His writing reflects the influences of both Scott and German poet Ludwig Tieck, showcasing a blend of narrative and poetic elements. In addition to his literary pursuits, Alexis maintained a residence in Berlin and a summer home in Arnstadt, where he ultimately retired due to health issues. His literary legacy includes several novels, with his final work, "Dorothee," published in 1856 shortly before his death.
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Subject Terms
Willibald Alexis
Writer
- Born: June 29, 1798
- Birthplace: Breslau, Silesia, Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland)
- Died: December 16, 1871
- Place of death: Arnstadt, Germany
Biography
Willibald Alexis was born Georg Wilhelm Heinrich Häring in Breslau, Prussia (now in Poland). After the death of his father in 1806, the family moved to Berlin, where Alexis attended the Werdershe gymnasium. In 1815, he joined the military and fought in the battle for the Ardenne fortresses. Following his return from the military, Alexis studied law in Berlin and Breslau. By 1820 he had a position as a junior lawyer at the Berlin Court of Appeals. About the same time, Alexis began writing for a Berlin publication, the Konversationsblatt. In 1828, Alexis earned a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Halle.
In 1851, Alexis traveled to the city of Arnstadt in Thüringen, Germany. He became so entranced by the area that he built a summer home in Arnstadt in 1852. For several years, Alexis maintained a residence in Berlin in addition to his summer home. When his health began to fail, he retired to his home in Arnstadt, where he remained until his death. After the publication of Die Triebjagd in 1820, Alexis gave up his legal career to devote himself to literature. Alexis’s poetic works were greatly influenced by the works of German poet Ludwig Tieck. Alexis was also greatly influenced by the writing of Sir Walter Scott, especially by the novel Ivanhoe (1819). Alexis’s romantic historical novel, Walladmor, is perhaps his best known work. This novel so closely imitated Sir Walter Scott’s style that even admirers of Sir Walter Scott’s writing had difficulty distinguishing between the two writers. Alexis published several other novels during his lifetime, the last of which, Dorothee, was published in 1856.