Friedrich Schiller

Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (November 10, 1759 – May 9, 1805), usually known as Friedrich Schiller, was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and dramatist.

Related Topics:
November 10 - 1759 - May 9 - 1805 - German - Poet - Philosopher - Historian - Dramatist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was born in Marbach, Württemberg (located in Southern Germany's Stuttgart Region), the son of the military doctor, J. C. Schiller. His childhood and youth were spent in relative poverty, although he attended both village and Latin schools, and coming to the attention of Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg, entered the Karlsschule Stuttgart (an elite military academy founded by Duke Karl Eugen) in 1773, where he eventually studied medicine.

Related Topics:
Marbach - Württemberg - Stuttgart - Karl Eugen, Duke of Württemberg - 1773

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While at the arduous school, he read Rousseau and Goethe and discussed Classical ideals with his classmates. At school, he wrote his first play, The Robbers, about a group of naïve revolutionaries and their tragic failure.

Related Topics:
Rousseau - Goethe

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1780 he obtained a post as regimental doctor in Stuttgart.

Related Topics:
1780 - Stuttgart

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Following the performance of Die Räuber (The Robbers) in Mannheim in 1781 he was arrested and forbidden to publish any further works. He fled Stuttgart in 1783 coming via Leipzig and Dresden to Weimar in 1787. In 1789 he was appointed professor of History and Philosophy in Jena, where he wrote only historical works. He returned to Weimar in 1799, where Goethe convinced him to return to playwriting. He and Goethe founded the Weimar Theater which became the leading theater in Germany, leading to a dramatic renaissance. He remained in Weimar, Saxe-Weimar until his death at 45 from tuberculosis.

Related Topics:
Mannheim - 1781 - 1783 - Leipzig - Dresden - Weimar - 1787 - 1789 - Jena - Weimar Theater - Weimar - Saxe-Weimar - Tuberculosis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~