Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von |
AUTHOR, POET, COUNCILLOR (GERMANY) |
BORN 28 Aug 1749, Frankfurt am Main, Hessen: Hirschgraben - DIED 22 Mar 1832, Weimar, Thüringen GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Friedhof vor dem Frauentor (Alter Friedhof) (Fürstengruft) |
Son of the imperial councillor Johann Caspar Goethe. From 1765 he studied law in Leipzig, but in bored him and he spent much of his time in society. He lived a wild life and afther three years he returned to Frankfurt with a hemorrhage of the lungs and a tumor on the neck. After he recovered, in 1770 he continued his law studies in Strasbourg. In 1772 the son of a preacher named Johann Jerusalem committed suicide. This event was the inspiration for Goethe's "Die Leiten des jungen Werthers" (1774, translated as "Sorrows of Young Werther"). In Sep 1775 Duke Karl August invited him to Weimar, where he was offered a permanent situation as privy councillor at the court in 1779. This appointment resulted in a scandal, since Goethe was no nobleman. Goethe became the friend and companion of the Duke and was became the rising star of society in Weimar. In 1786 he travelled to Italy for two years. This experience made him feel like reborn. In Rome he stayed with the painter Tischbein, with whom he also travelled in Italy. Back in Germany he met Christiane Vulpius in 1788. She went to live with him and bore him five children. In 1789 Goethe became a member of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts and in 1790 he travelled to Italy for the second time. In Venice he studied art, but this visit was a dissapointment for Goethe, whose love for Italy soon cooled down. He became the director of the new theatre in Weimar and in that position he was more visible for the citizens. His famous friendship with Schiller started in 1796. They first met in 1794, but after they saw each other again in 1796 a close friendship ensued that only ended with Schiller's death in 1805. Schiller stimulated Goethe's creativity and the latter returned to poetry. Meanwhile, Schiller wrote his great works "Wallenstein" and "Maria Stuart". After Schiller died Goethe completely lost his interest in literature for a while. The French army ransacked Weimar in 1806 and in these troubled days he finally married Christiane on 19 Oct 1806. On 2 Oct 1808 he visited Napoleon, who resided in Erfurt at the time. Napoleon told Goethe he had read Werther about seven times and invited him to Paris. A few days later they met again in Weimar. After Napoleon's defeat in Russia he travelled through Weimar during the night of 15 Dec 1812 and he sent his greetings to Goethe. Goethe was 81 years old when he completed the second part of his dramatic "Faust" on 22 Jul 1831. He had started working on "Faust" 57 years earlier. He died in March of the next year in Weimar. Family Son: Goethe, Julius August Walter Wife: Vulpius, Christiane (1806-1816, Weimar: Jakobskirche) Related persons corresponded with Bagration, Catharina knew Becker-Neumann, Christiane met Beethoven, Ludwig van was a friend of Behrisch, Ernst Wolfgang was a friend of Bethmann-Unzelmann, Friederike Auguste was a friend of Boisserée, Sulpice corresponded with Byron, George Noel Gordon has a connection with Carus, Carl Gustav was written about by Chamberlain, Houston Stewart met Constant de Rebecque, Benjamin was a friend of Coudray, Clemens Wenzeslaus employed Eberwein, Carl was written about by Eckermann, Johann Peter supported Facius, Angelika Bellonata admired Gellert, Christian Fürchtegott was visited by Grillparzer, Franz was admired by Gundolf, Friedrich knew Herz, Henriette knew Hölderlin, Friedrich had as physician Hufeland, Christoph Wilhelm was a friend of Hummel, Johann Nepomuk was opponent of Jagemann, Caroline was painted by Jagemann, Ferdinand Karl Christian had a relationship with Kanne, Anna Katharina was a friend of Kauffmann, Angelica was painted by Kauffmann, Angelica was a friend of Kestner-Buff, Charlotte met Kleist, Heinrich von was opponent of Kotzebue, August von cooperated with La Roche, Karl, Ritter von was a friend of Lavater, Johann Caspar influenced Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix was a friend of Meyer, Johann Heinrich admired Milder-Hauptmann, Anna was a friend of Müller, Friedrich Theodor Adam Heinrich von met Napoleon I Bonaparte wrote about Neuber, Friederike Caroline corresponded with Neureuther, Eugen Napoleon was visited by Nöggerath, Johann Jacob was teacher to Oels, Karl Ludwig had work illustrated by Ramberg, Johann Heinrich employed Riemer, Friedrich Wilhelm met Robinson, Henry Crabb met Rohden, Johann Martin von corresponded with Runge, Philip Otto had work translated by Sabatier, François was visited by Sand, Karl Ludwig was sculpted by Scheffer, Cornelia was a friend of Schiller, Johann Christoph Friedrich von was painted by Schmeller, Johann Joseph knew Schopenhauer, Adele admired Schröter, Corona met Schwab, Gustav knew Schwerdgeburth, Carl August was painted by Seidler, Louise was a friend of Stein, Charlotte von was painted by Stieler, Joseph met Thackeray, William Makepeace knew Tieck, Johann Ludwig knew Varnhagen von Ense, Karl-August knew Varnhagen von Ense, Rahel supported Vulpius, Christian August helped Wagner, Johann Martin von knew Weber, Carl Maria von knew Willemer, Marianne von employed Wolff, Pius Alexander Events |
2/10/1808 | Goethe on audience with Napoleon at the palace in Erfurt. It was the first meeting between the two and Talleyrand, Berthier and Savary were there as well. When he was first invited in 1806 Goethe had excused himself for health reasons and during Napoleon's second visit to Weimar, Goethe was in Karlsbad. Napoleon spoke to Goethe about "Die Leiden des jüngen Wethers" and Goethe observed that the emperor knew it very well. [Napoleon I Bonaparte] |
6/10/1808 | Goethe meets Napoleon during the Court Ball in Weimar. It was their second meeting, after Napoleon had received him in Erfurt four days before. Napoleon invited Goethe to come to Paris to write a Caesar tragedy. In his opinion there was no good work yet on this subject. On 14 Oct 1808 Goethe received the Légion d'Honneur. [Napoleon I Bonaparte] |
0/7/1812 | Beethoven and Goethe meet in Teplice. Both were in that city at the time and Bettina von Arnim arranged their first meeting. They saw each other several more times during the next days. [Beethoven, Ludwig van] |
15/12/1812 | Napoleon passes through Weimar on his way back from Russia. It happened during the night and he sent his greetings to Goethe. [Napoleon I Bonaparte] |
15/8/1823 | Anne Milder-Hauptmann performs in Marienbad for Goethe. Goethe wrote afterwards that she managed to make four small songs big and the remembrance of her performance brought tears into his eyes. [Milder-Hauptmann, Anna] |
20/10/1828 | Nöggerath dines with Goethe. He was on his way back to Bonn from the Verein der Naturforscher in Berlin and he was very welcome. He told Goethe about the mineralogical circumstances in the area around Bonn. [Nöggerath, Johann Jacob] |
12/5/1945 | The Coffins of Goethe and Schiller are returned to the Fürstengruft in Weimar. Gauleiter Fritz Sauckel had them transported to Jena and ordered to blow them up when the allied troops would arrive. This was avoided. [Schiller, Johann Christoph Friedrich von] |
Sources Blumenfeld, Carl, Goethe, Taschen, 1986 Biografisch Worterbuch zur Deutsche Geschichte, Francke Verlag, München, 1975 Gorys, Erhard, Thüringen, Artemis Reis- en Cultuurgids, Kok Lyra, Kampen, 1996 A meeting of genius: Beethoven and Goethe, July 1812 | gramophone.co.uk Goethe's Birth and Education MUGI - Musik und Gender im internet |