Laube, Heinrich

DRAMATIST, NOVELIST, THEATRE MANAGER (GERMANY)
BORN 18 Sep 1806, Sprottau, Silesia - DIED 1 Aug 1884, Wien
GRAVE LOCATION Wien: Evangelischer Friedhof Matzleinsdorf, 10. Triesterstraße 1 (Gruppe 18, Gruft 186)

Henry Laube was the son of a shoemaker. He was able to attend a Gymnasium and studied theology at the University of Halle-Wittenberg. He continued his studies in Breslau and there he befrieded young literary people. He satarted working as a theatre critic and worked for a while as a teacher. In 1830 he had a daughter from an affair, the actress Cornelia Haas (1830-1916).

In 1832 he moved to Leipzig where he wrote for "Zeitung für die elegante Welt". In 1833 he travelled to Italy with Karl Gutzkow and in 1834 he was expelled from Dresden because of his political opinions. He was arrested in Berlin in 1834 and not released until 1835. Waiting for his trial, he was relocated to Naumburg where the police kept an eye on him.

In 1836 he married Iduna Hänel-Buddeus (1808-1880), the widow of Professor Albert Friedrich Hänel (1800-1833). She had a son, Albert Hänel, and together they had another son. Hans Laube (1837-1863). In 1837 he was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment, but this was reduced to eighteen months at Schloss Muskau, where he was allowed to move freely. After his release in 1830 he travelled to Paris with his wife. In 1840 he returned to Germany and settled in Leipzig. He started writing for the stage and by 1845 he was in contact with several theatres in Vienna.

In 1848 he was politically active again, but in 1849 he became artistic director of the Burgtheater in Vienna. He held this position for eighteen years until he resigned in 1867 after a fight with Friedrich Halm. In 1856 he staged his play "Graf Essex" and in 1859 his "Montrose".

In 1872 he was put in charge of the new Wiener Stadttheater. He retired in 1880. He died in 1884 in Vienna. At his funeral many actors whose career he had helped launching were not present, but Katharina Schratt was there.

Related persons
• employed Dawison, Bogumil
• has a connection with Gabillon, Ludwig
• has a connection with Hartmann, Ernst
• has a connection with Hartmann-Schneeberger, Helene
• was a friend of Lewald, Fanny
• visited Rettich, Julie
• helped Schratt, Katharina
• discovered Sonnenthal, Adolf von
• supported Wagner, Richard
• employed Weisse, Nina
• has a connection with Wilbrandt, Auguste

Images

The grave of Heinrich Laube at the Evangelischer Friedhof Matzleinsdorf, Vienna.
Picture by Androom (20 Sep 2004)

 

Sources
• Aubert, Joachim, Handbuch der Grabstätten berühmten Deutscher, Österreicher und Schweizer, Deutscher Kunstverlag, München, 1973
Baedeker Berlin, Baedeker Verlag, Stuttgart, 1994
Frantisek Zboray's Home Page
Heinrich Laube – Wikipedia


Laubinger, Otto

Published: 22 May 2016
Last update: 25 Sep 2022