Friedrich Gundolf
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Gundolf, born Friedrich Leopold Gundelfinger (July 20, 1880 – July 12, 1931) was a German
-Jewish literary scholar and poet and one of the most famous academics of the Weimar Republic
.
He also was an important member of the Georgekreis, which he joined in 1899. He published first poems in Stefan George's "Blätter für die Kunst". During 1910 and 1911, he edited the "Jahrbuch für geistige Bewegung" (Yearbook for mental movement), which preached the cultural political opinions of the Georgekreis. He and Stefan George
stayed on good terms for more than twenty years, but later, George broke completely with him, on the occasion of his marriage in 1926.
In his works in literary studies, Gundolf took a new, historically-oriented view on literature, which centered on the philosophically determined registration of the poet. To him, the great writers (such as Shakespeare or Goethe, e.g.) were symbolic figures of their time and during his academic research, he sought to present not only the artist, but also the effects of his works.
From 1916 to the late 1920s, Friedrich Gundolf was professor at Heidelberg university. In 1921, one of his students was Joseph Goebbels
, later famous as the Nazi propaganda minister, who at that time admired the famous literary scholar and his colleague Max Freiherr von Waldberg
. Von Waldberg also became his supervisor, when Goebbels wrote his doctoral thesis.
From 1927, Gundolf suffered from cancer, and died of it four years later. Gundolf's works were banned by the Nazis
in 1933.
In 1964, the German Academy for Language and Poetry (Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung) founded the Friedrich-Gundolf-Prize for the intermediation of German culture in foreign countries, which is conferred every year.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-Jewish literary scholar and poet and one of the most famous academics of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
.
Education
Gundolf, who was the son of a mathematician, studied art history and German language and literature at the universities of Munich, Berlin and Heidelberg. He received his doctorate in 1903 and completed his Habilitation (attainment of professor's status) eight years later. His habilitation work about "Shakespeare and the German spirit" (Shakespeare und der deutsche Geist, 1911), marked a turning point in German language and literature studies.He also was an important member of the Georgekreis, which he joined in 1899. He published first poems in Stefan George's "Blätter für die Kunst". During 1910 and 1911, he edited the "Jahrbuch für geistige Bewegung" (Yearbook for mental movement), which preached the cultural political opinions of the Georgekreis. He and Stefan George
Stefan George
Stefan Anton George was a German poet, editor, and translator.-Biography:George was born in Bingen in Germany in 1868. He spent time in Paris, where he was among the writers and artists who attended the Tuesday soireés held by the poet Stéphane Mallarmé. He began to publish poetry in the 1890s,...
stayed on good terms for more than twenty years, but later, George broke completely with him, on the occasion of his marriage in 1926.
In his works in literary studies, Gundolf took a new, historically-oriented view on literature, which centered on the philosophically determined registration of the poet. To him, the great writers (such as Shakespeare or Goethe, e.g.) were symbolic figures of their time and during his academic research, he sought to present not only the artist, but also the effects of his works.
From 1916 to the late 1920s, Friedrich Gundolf was professor at Heidelberg university. In 1921, one of his students was Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
, later famous as the Nazi propaganda minister, who at that time admired the famous literary scholar and his colleague Max Freiherr von Waldberg
Max Freiherr von Waldberg
Max Freiherr von Waldberg was a professor of modern literature at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. After World War I, one of his students was future Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels...
. Von Waldberg also became his supervisor, when Goebbels wrote his doctoral thesis.
From 1927, Gundolf suffered from cancer, and died of it four years later. Gundolf's works were banned by the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in 1933.
Works
His most famous publication is "Goethe" (13th edition in 1930) in which he radicalized the principles of his view on figures.In 1964, the German Academy for Language and Poetry (Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung) founded the Friedrich-Gundolf-Prize for the intermediation of German culture in foreign countries, which is conferred every year.