Berthold Auerbach
Berthold Auerbach was a prominent German-Jewish writer born in 1812 in Nordstetten, a village in the Black Forest region of Germany. Growing up in an impoverished Jewish family, Auerbach initially pursued rabbinical studies but shifted his focus to literature after being influenced by the Rationalist ideas of philosopher Benedict Spinoza. His early career involved writing biographies, including works on notable historical figures, but Auerbach gained critical acclaim with the publication of his 1837 book about Spinoza. He is best known for his romantic novels depicting village life in the Black Forest, particularly his collection "Schwarzwälder Dorfgeschichten," published in 1843, which combined local culture with moral lessons. Throughout the late 1840s, Auerbach led a nomadic lifestyle and experienced greater success in his later years while living in cities like Berlin and Dresden. Despite his achievements, he never fully settled down and faced challenges in his personal life, including two marriages and raising four children. Auerbach passed away in 1882 in Cannes, France, leaving behind a legacy characterized by his rich storytelling and cultural insights.
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Berthold Auerbach
Author
- Born: February 28, 1812
- Birthplace: Nordstetten, Germany
- Died: February 8, 1882
- Place of death: Cannes, France
Biography
Berthold Auerbach was born in the Nordstetten, located in the Black Forest region of Germany. Auerbach was born into an impoverished Jewish family in 1812, and he considered studying to become a rabbi. In 1824, he attended the Talmudschule in Hechingen, and in 1827 he studied at the Rabbinnerschule in Karlsruhe. In 1832, Auerbach began to study law, but by the time he attended school in Tilbingen, Munich, and Heidelberg, he was studying philosophy. Because of his radical liberalism, and his membership in the Burschenschaften student organization, Auerbach was arrested and interred for two months. After his release, Auerbach left the university at Heidelburg, having ruined his chances at becoming a rabbi.
During his studies, Auerbach became very interested in the writings of the Dutch philosopher Benedict Spinoza. The heavily Rationalist writings of Spinoza caused him to question Jewish orthodoxy. As a result, Auerbach gave up his rabbinical studies, deciding to dedicate himself to literature. At first he financed himself by writing biographies of the Prussian king Frederick the Great and several historically prominent Israelis.
Auerbach’s first critical success as a writer was his 1837 book on the life of Spinoza; he translated some of Spinoza’s writing later in his career. However, Auerbach is best known for his romantic novels about village life in the Black Forest, which he published as Schwarzwälder Dorfgeschichten in 1843. The anecdotal stories not only incorporated local color but also definitive moral lessons as well to go along with vivid descriptive imagery.
In the late 1840’s, Auerbach lived a nomadic existence. He married twice, producing four children. The latter part of his life spent in Berlin and Dresden was more profitable than before, and he continued to write novels but he never settled down fully again. Berthold Auerbach died in 1882 while living in Cannes, France