Karl Immermann
Karl Immermann was a 19th-century German writer and theater manager, born in Magdeburg in April 1796. Initially studying law at the University of Halle, he became involved in military service during the Napoleonic Wars, participating in significant battles like Ligny and Waterloo. After the war, Immermann resumed his legal career and held various positions, including assessor in Munster and judge in Düsseldorf. His relationship with Countess Elise von Lutzow significantly influenced his literary endeavors, inspiring him to pursue writing and theater. Despite his efforts to elevate the artistic standards of the Düsseldorf theater and his contributions to literature, including works like "Cardenio und Celinde" and the poem "Merlin," he struggled to gain public acclaim during his lifetime. Ultimately, financial pressures led him to return to official duties, relegating his writing to a secondary pursuit. Immermann passed away in August 1840, leaving behind a legacy that would be recognized more favorably after his death.
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Subject Terms
Karl Immermann
Dramatist
- Born: April 24, 1796
- Birthplace: Magdeburg, Germany
- Died: August 25, 1840
- Place of death: Düsseldorf, Germany
Biography
Karl Immermann was born at Magdeburg, in April of 1796. His father was a government official. He went to Halle, to study law in 1813. That year, Napoleon suppressed the university; Immermann fought in 1815 at Ligny and Waterloo, and marched into Paris with Blucher.
After the war, Immermann resumed his studies at Halle. In 1819, he was appointed assessor at Munster in Westphalia. Here, he met Elise von Lutzow, Countess Ahlefeldt. She inspired him to begin a career as a writer, and their relationship is paralleled in many dramas written around this time. In 1823, Immermann was appointed judge at Magdeburg, and transferred to Düsseldorf to become a district judge. At this time, Elise von Lutzow moved in with him. They shared his home until 1839, when he married a granddaughter of August Hermann Niemeyer.
In 1834 Immermann took over management of the Düsseldorf theater, and with his meager income, spent two years improving and perfecting it. His goal at the theater was to achieve a more dignified artistic level, and to cast aside the traditions that he felt held conventional theater back. Immermann wrote a few important literary works, such as Cardenio und Celinde and the poem Merlin. Unfortunately, even though these works are highly regarded now, they were panned by the public when they were written. In addition, Immermann’s income from the theater was not sufficient to support him and his family, so in 1836, he was forced to return to his official duties and to take on his literary pursuits as a hobby. He died at Düsseldorf in August of 1840.