Gottfried August Bürger
Gottfried August Bürger was a notable German poet born on December 31, 1747, in Molmerswende, Germany. He initially studied theology and law, settling into a position as a magistrate before shifting his focus to literature. Bürger is best remembered for his significant contributions to German poetry in the late 18th century, where he sought to break free from traditional norms and express the experiences of everyday people. His first poetry collection appeared in 1778, and he became affiliated with the Hainbund, a group of young poets, contributing to literary publications during this period.
Bürger's work is characterized by vivid ballads that often explore themes of the supernatural, justice, and psychological depth, reflecting popular folklore and personal experiences, including tumultuous relationships. His poem "Lenore" is particularly notable for its dramatic narrative style. Additionally, he gained fame for his humorous take on the adventures of Baron von Münchausen in 1786, which included original episodes. Despite his literary successes, Bürger faced personal tragedies and health issues, leading to his death from tuberculosis in poverty on June 8, 1794. His legacy endures, as his poetry remains influential and celebrated throughout Europe.
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Subject Terms
Gottfried August Bürger
Poet
- Born: December 31, 1747
- Birthplace: Molmerswende, Brandenburg, Germany
- Died: June 8, 1794
- Place of death: Göttingen, Hanover, Germany
Biography
Gottfried August Bürger was born on December 31, 1747, in Molmerswende near Halberstadt in the Hartz region of Germany. He was the son of a pastor. He studied theology at Halle, Germany, from 1764 to 1767, and law at Göttingen, Germany, from 1768 to 1772. He was a magistrate in Gelliehausen near Göttingen from 1772 to 1786.
In 1774, Bürger married Dorette Leonhart. She died in 1784. During this marriage, Bürger conducted an affair with his wife’s sister, Molly. He married Molly in 1785. She died in childbirth in 1786. He married a third time in 1790, this time to Elise Hahn. It was dissolved two years later in 1792.
Bürger is best known for his poetry. It represents an important contribution to the attempts of German literature in the last third of the eighteenth century to free itself from preordained norms and rules, and to respond more directly to the experiences of ordinary people. Bürger, however, belongs to no one literary historical group. His first collection of poems was published in 1778.
Bürger became friendly with the Hainbund, a group of young poets, in Göttingen, and was published in the Göttinger Musen-Almanach, which he edited from 1779 to 1984. He had an enthusiasm for folk poetry and Shakespeare, translating Macbeth into prose. He seems to have discovered a gift for the extended narrative poem in the folk style during 1773 while composing the vivid and dramatic ballad Lenore. He was encouraged by reading Herden’s essay on Ossian and Goethe’s Götz un Berlichingen.
His ballads have a vividness and directness that belie both the care with which they were composed and Bürger’s command of classical techniques. They frequently draw on popular superstitions involving the supernatural, ghosts, and vengeance, which add a note of horror and mystery but also hint at psychological complexities. These qualities make these poems especially tense and were celebrated throughout Europe. The ballads show a strong sense of justice and often criticize abuse of power.
Another factor influenced his poetry. Bürger was condemned for his love of Molly. This troubled, illicit relationship produced striking and unsentimental love poetry.
Bürger is well known today because of his reworking of the humorously improbable adventures of Baron von Münchausen published in 1786. Bürger’s version is based on the English translation of Rudolf Erich Raspe and contains several episodes of Bürger’s own invention.
From 1784 to 1794, he was a lecturer, and later, professor at the University of Göttingen, Germany. He was one of the first to lecture on Kant. His second collection of poems was unjustly criticized, which hurt him deeply. He became ill with tuberculosis and died in poverty in Göttingen on June 8, 1794.