Daniel Casper von Lohenstein
Daniel Casper von Lohenstein was a notable German poet and playwright born on January 25, 1635, in Nimptsch, Silesia, now part of Poland. He began his education at an early age in the tumultuous context of the Thirty Years' War, which deeply influenced his later works. Lohenstein attended Magdalen High School in Breslau, where he wrote his first drama, "Ibrahim Bassa," showcasing his talent for baroque literature. After studying law in Leipzig, he became a lawyer in 1657 and married Elisabeth Herrman the same year.
Throughout his life, Lohenstein was active in both legal and political spheres, ascending to roles such as government advisor and counsel for Breslau. However, he is best remembered for his literary contributions, particularly in the realm of baroque tragedy, with major works including "Cleopatra," "Sophonisbe," and "Ibrahim Sultan," which explore complex themes of sensuality and inhumanity. Lohenstein's collection of works was published posthumously in 1680, and he was engaged in writing an ambitious eighteen-volume novel, "Grossmüthiger Feldherr Arminius," at the time of his death in 1683. His influence on German literature is significant, marking him as a key figure in the development of the baroque style.
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Daniel Casper von Lohenstein
- Born: January 25, 1635
- Birthplace: Nimptsch, Silesia, Germany (now in Poland)
- Died: April 28, 1683
- Place of death: Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland)
Biography
Daniel Casper von Lohenstein was born in Nimptsch, Silesia, Germany (now in Poland), on January 25, 1635, the oldest son of a tax collector. He was sent off to boarding school in 1642, after the house of his tutor was pillaged by Swedish troops during the Thirty Years’ War. He attended Magdalen High School in Breslau from 1642 until 1651, where he flourished, and began to study law in Leipzig in 1651.
In 1650, while attending Magdalen, he wrote his first drama, Ibrahim Bassa,which was performed at the school and published in 1653. In 1657, he became a lawyer after traveling through Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Hungary. That year, he also took a wife, Elisabeth Herrman. Over the next decade, Lohenstein would write many poems and publish four dramas. In 1668, he started work as a government advisor, later graduating to the positions of counsel and upper counsel for the city of Breslau.
Despite his legal and political activities, Lohenstein’s written works are his most recognized achievements. He is remembered as a great representative of the baroque style of writing, and some even consider him the creator of baroque tragedy in Germany. In 1673, he wrote his last original drama,Ibrahim Sultan. Many of his poems and plays were not published until 1680, when a collection of his works appeared. Lohenstein was described as being a busy man, always attending to political responsibilities or writing. Before he died in 1683, he was working on an eighteen-volume novel, Grossmüthiger Feldherr Arminius; the book was completed by his brother, Hans, and Christian Wagner, and published in two volumes in 1689 and 1690. Lohenstein’s plays,Cleopatra,Sophonisbe, and Ibrahim Sultan, are credited with strong themes of sensuality and inhumanity.