Motte-Fouqué, Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de la

POET, PLAYWRIGHT (PRUSSIA)
BORN 12 Feb 1777, Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg - DIED 23 Jan 1843, Berlin
GRAVE LOCATION Berlin: Alter Garnisonfriedhof, Kleine Rosenthaler Strasse (Feld III-1a-10"Schackplatz" )

Grandson of Heinrich August de la Motte-Fouqué, one of Frederick the Great's generals. He entered the University of Halle, but gave up his studies and joined the army. He saw action during the Rhione campaign of 1794, but afterwards he turned to literature.

He met A.W. Schlegel, who was a major influence to him. His first marriage ended in divorce. His second wife was the novelist Karoline von Briest, who used the penn name Serena.

He wrote several plays in rapid succession and his trilogy "Der Held des Nordens" (1810) influenced Hebbel and Wagner in later years. Other major works were the fairy tale "Undine" (1811), "Der Zauberring" (1813) and "Corona" (1814). His work was very popular until 1815, but in the following years his unchanged romanticism was less wanted by the public.

In 1813 he had joined the Prussian army again to fight Napoleon and during this time patriotism was clearly visible in his writings. After the war he left the army and divided his time between Paris, Halle and his estate at Nennhausen near Rathenow. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia had granted him a pension that enabled him to live comfortably.

Related persons
• was a friend of Hoffmann, Ernst Theodor Amadeus
• met Kleist, Heinrich von
• met Schwab, Gustav
• knew Varnhagen von Ense, Karl-August
• was a friend of Veit, Philipp

Events
3/8/1816Premiere of ETA Hoffmann's opera "Undine" at the Königlichen Schauspielhaus in Berlin. The libretto was written by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. The set was designed by Karl Friedrich schinkel. The opera is considered as the first 'romantic' German opera. [Hoffmann, Ernst Theodor Amadeus][Schinkel, Karl Friedrich]

Images

The grave of Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte-Fouqué at the Alte Garnisonfriedhof in Berlin.
Picture by Androom (02 Aug 1998)

 

Sources
Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909
Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué - Wikipedia
Undine (Hoffmann) – Wikipedia


Mottl, Felix

Published: 26 Dec 2008
Last update: 25 Apr 2022