About

Known credits:
26
Birthday:
1777-10-18
Place of birth:
Franfurt an der Oder, Germany
Website:
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Heinrich von Kleist

Overview

Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 1777 – 21 November 1811) was a German poet, dramatist, novelist, short story writer and journalist, considered among the greatest of the 19th century. Poets of the Realist, Expressionist, Nationalist, and Existentialist movements in France and Germany saw their prototype in Kleist.

His first tragedy was Die Familie Schroffenstein (The Schroffenstein Family), his second Penthesilea (1808), but more successful than either of these was his romantic play, Das Käthchen von Heilbronn (1808), a poetic drama which retained its popularity for many years. In comedy, Kleist made a name with Der zerbrochne Krug (The Broken Jug; 1808), while Amphitryon (1808), an adaptation of Molière's comedy, received critical acclaim long after his death. Die Hermannsschlacht (1809) is a dramatic work of anti-Napoleonic propaganda, that has been described by Carl Schmitt as the "greatest partisan work of all time". Kleist also wrote patriotic lyrics in the context of the Napoleonic Wars.

Kleist also wrote highly influential works of narrative prose. Kleist also wrote eight masterly novellas, collected in Erzählungen (1810–11), of which Das Erdbeben in Chili (The Earthquake in Chile), Michael Kohlhaas, and Die Marquise von O… remain well-known. His stories influenced those of Franz Kafka and Friedrich Halm.

Embittered by the lack of recognition accorded him by his contemporaries, particularly Goethe, he came to know an incurably sick woman, Henriette Vogel, who begged him to kill her. This gave Kleist the final incentive to end his life, and on November 21, 1811, he shot Henriette and himself on the shore of the Wannsee. The Kleist Prize, a prestigious prize for German literature, is named after him, as was the Kleist Theater in his birthplace Frankfurt an der Oder.

Known for

Writing
2008 The Seed of Discord Writing Short Story 58
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1999 The Jack Bull Writing Novel 59
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1997 The Prince of Homburg Writing Theatre Play 58
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1995 Anekdote aus dem letzten preußischen Kriege Writing Short Story N/A
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1991 Der zerbrochne Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1990 Der zerbrochne Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1984 Der zerbrochene Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1983 Il principe di Homburg Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1981 Seduction Writing Novel 58
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1980 Catherine de Heilbronn Writing Theatre Play 58
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1977 The Prince of Homburg Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1976 The Marquise of O Writing Novel 59
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1975 Earthquake in Chile Writing Novel 58
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1974 Der zerbrochene Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1973 Die Gräfin von Rathenow Writing Novel N/A
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1969 Michael Kohlhaas - The Rebel Writing Novel 58
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1969 Maiden, You Please Me Writing Theatre Play 58
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1967 The Foundling Writing Short Story N/A
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1967 Der zerbrochene Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1965 Der zerbrochene Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1961 Amphitryon Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1959 Der zerbrochene Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1954 Rozbitý džbán Writing Theatre Play N/A
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1937 The Broken Jug Writing Theatre Play 58
Average
1935 Amphitryon: Happiness from the Clouds Writing Theatre Play 58
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1934 Der zerbrochene Krug Writing Theatre Play N/A
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