Georg Büchner

Georg Büchner (1813-1837) is considered one of the leading figures of German literature despite his short life. The son of a distinguished physician, he was born in Goddelau, near Darmstadt, Germany, on October 17, 1813. A brilliant student, he began his medical studies at the University of Strasbourg at the age of 18, in 1831, where he met his fiancée Minna, daughter of Pastor Jaeglé. Government regulations forced him to continue his studies at the University of Giessen, in the principality of Hesse. There he wrote the revolutionary pamphlet... The Messenger of Hesse and founds a section, the Society for Human Rights, a political group with radical intentions. Persecuted by the police, he takes refuge in his parents' house where, between January and February 1834, he writes The Death of Danton "In five weeks at most." In March, he flees to Strasbourg where he finishes the novel Lenz. In 1836, he completes his thesis in biology, translates two plays by Victor Hugo, and works on plays. Leôncio and Lena and Woyzeck, is preparing a series of philosophical lectures and the "Experimental Lesson" from Zurich; he also possibly wrote another piece, Pietro AretinoHe received his doctorate from the new University of Zurich with a Memoir on the Nervous System of the Barb and was accepted there as a full professor at the age of 23. In November 1837, he gave his first course, "Comparative Anatomy of Fish and Amphibians," while continuing to work in Woyzeck. On February 2, 1837, he was diagnosed with typhoid fever. On February 17, Minna Jaeglé arrived from Strasbourg. Büchner died on February 19. His three plays only began to be rediscovered at the end of the 19th century, particularly interesting Max Reinhardt, and later the Expressionists. All of them remain in the repertoire of the most important European companies and continue to be the subject of new translations, studies, and stagings.