Willibald Alexis
Encyclopedia
Willibald Alexis, the pseudonym
of Georg Wilhelm Heinrich Häring (29 June 1798 – 16 December 1871), was a German
historical novel
ist.
refugee family, named Hareng, held a high position in the war department. He attended the Werdersche Gymnasium in Berlin
, and then, serving as a volunteer in the campaign of 1815
, took part in the siege of the Ardenne fortresses. On his return, he studied law
at the University of Berlin and the University of Breslau and entered the legal profession, but he soon abandoned this career and devoted himself to literature
. Settling in Berlin, he edited, from 1827 to 1835, the Berliner Konversationsblatt, in which for the first two years he was assisted by Friedrich Christoph Forster
(1791-1868); and in 1828 was created a doctor of philosophy
by the University of Halle. In 1852 he retired to Arnstadt
in Thuringia
, where after many years of broken health he died.
Having made his name first known as a writer by an idyll
in hexameter
s, Die Treibjagd (1820), and several short stories, his literary reputation was first established by the historical romance Walladmor (1823), which was published as being "freely translated from the English
of Sir Walter Scott
, with a preface by Willibald Alexis". His novel Der Werwulf is set in Brandenburg
at the time of the Protestant Reformation
. In 1840 his historical novel Der Roland von Berlin
was published. It was the basis for Ruggero Leoncavallo
's opera of the same name
.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Georg Wilhelm Heinrich Häring (29 June 1798 – 16 December 1871), was a German
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...
historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
ist.
Life
Alexis was born in Breslau. His father, who came of a FrenchFrench people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
refugee family, named Hareng, held a high position in the war department. He attended the Werdersche Gymnasium in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and then, serving as a volunteer in the campaign of 1815
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
, took part in the siege of the Ardenne fortresses. On his return, he studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Berlin and the University of Breslau and entered the legal profession, but he soon abandoned this career and devoted himself to literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. Settling in Berlin, he edited, from 1827 to 1835, the Berliner Konversationsblatt, in which for the first two years he was assisted by Friedrich Christoph Forster
Friedrich Christoph Förster
Friedrich Christoph Förster , German historian and poet, was the second son of Karl Christoph Förster , and consequently a brother of the painter, Ernst Joachim Förster...
(1791-1868); and in 1828 was created a doctor of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
by the University of Halle. In 1852 he retired to Arnstadt
Arnstadt
Arnstadt is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, situated on the Gera River. It is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia and is nicknamed Das Tor zum Thüringer Wald, The Gate to the Thuringian Forest....
in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, where after many years of broken health he died.
Having made his name first known as a writer by an idyll
Idyll
An idyll or idyl is a short poem, descriptive of rustic life, written in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls....
in hexameter
Hexameter
Hexameter is a metrical line of verse consisting of six feet. It was the standard epic metre in classical Greek and Latin literature, such as in the Iliad and Aeneid. Its use in other genres of composition include Horace's satires, and Ovid's Metamorphoses. According to Greek mythology, hexameter...
s, Die Treibjagd (1820), and several short stories, his literary reputation was first established by the historical romance Walladmor (1823), which was published as being "freely translated from the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
of Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
, with a preface by Willibald Alexis". His novel Der Werwulf is set in Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
at the time of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. In 1840 his historical novel Der Roland von Berlin
Der Roland von Berlin
Der Roland von Berlin is a historical novel by Willibald Alexis. Published in 1840, it was the basis for composer Ruggero Leoncavallo's 1904 opera of the same name....
was published. It was the basis for Ruggero Leoncavallo
Ruggero Leoncavallo
Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer. His two-act work Pagliacci remains one of the most popular works in the repertory, appearing as number 20 on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide.-Biography:...
's opera of the same name
Der Roland von Berlin (opera)
Der Roland von Berlin is an opera in 4 acts by composer Ruggero Leoncavallo. The work uses a German-language libretto by Leoncavallo which is based on Willibald Alexis's 1840 historical novel of the same name. The opera premiered at the Berlin State Opera on 13 December 1904...
.