Difference between revisions of "Heinrich Heine" - New World Encyclopedia
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== Life == | == Life == | ||
− | Heine was born into an | + | Heine was born into an acculturated [[Judaism|Jewish]] family in Düsseldorf, [[Germany]]. His father was a tradesman, who, during the French occupation, found new prospects opening up for Jews. When his father's business failed, Heine was sent to [[Hamburg]], where his rich banker uncle Salomon encouraged him to undertake a career in commerce. Heine, however, failed miserably as a businessman, and he turned to the study of law at the universities of Göttingen, Bonn and [[Berlin]]. Heine quickly discovered that he was more interested in literature than in the law, though he nonetheless earned a law degree in 1825. During this time he had also decided to convert from [[Judaism]] to [[Protestantism]]. This was necessary because of the severe restrictions on Jews in many of the German states; in many cases, they were forbidden to enter certain professions. These included university lecturing, which was a particular ambition for Heine. As Heine said in self-justification, his conversion was "the ticket of admission into European culture". For much of the rest of his life Heine wrestled over the incompatible elements of his German and his Jewish identities. |
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− | Heine is best known for his | + | Heine is best known for his lyric poetry, much of which (especially from his earlier works) was set to [[music]] by composers, most notably by [[Robert Schumann]]. Other composers who have set Heine include [[Franz Schubert]], [[Felix Mendelssohn]], [[Fanny Mendelssohn]], [[Johannes Brahms|Brahms]], [[Hugo Wolf]], and [[Richard Wagner]]. |
As a poet Heine made his debut with ''Gedichte'' ("Poems") in 1821. Heine's one-sided infatuation with his cousins Amalie and Therese later inspired him to write some of his loveliest lyrics; ''Buch der Lieder'' ("Book of Songs", 1827) was Heine's first comprehensive collection of verse. | As a poet Heine made his debut with ''Gedichte'' ("Poems") in 1821. Heine's one-sided infatuation with his cousins Amalie and Therese later inspired him to write some of his loveliest lyrics; ''Buch der Lieder'' ("Book of Songs", 1827) was Heine's first comprehensive collection of verse. | ||
− | Heine left Germany for | + | Heine left Germany for Paris, France in 1831. There he associated with utopian socialists, including the followers of Count [[Saint-Simon]], who preached an egalitarian classless paradise based on meritocracy. |
− | + | Heine remained in Paris, with the exception of a visit in 1843 to Germany, for the rest of his life. Heine continued, however, to comment on German politics and society from a distance. Heine wrote ''Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen'' (''Germany. A Winter's Tale''), an account of his visit to Germany the previous year and the political climate there, in 1844; his friend, [[Karl Marx]], published it in his newspaper ''Vorwärts'' ("Forward") in 1844. Heine also satirized the utopian politics of those opponents of the regime still in Germany in ''Atta Troll: Ein Sommernachtstraum'' ("Atta Troll: A Midsummer Night's Dream") in 1847. | |
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− | Heine continued, however, to comment on German politics and society from a distance. Heine wrote ''Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen'' (''Germany. A Winter's Tale''), an account of his visit to Germany the previous year and the political climate there, in 1844; his friend, [[Karl Marx]], published it in his newspaper ''Vorwärts'' ("Forward") in 1844. Heine also satirized the utopian politics of those opponents of the regime still in Germany in ''Atta Troll: Ein Sommernachtstraum'' ("Atta Troll: A Midsummer Night's Dream") in 1847. | ||
Heine wrote movingly of the experience of exile in his poem ''In der Fremde'' ("Abroad"): | Heine wrote movingly of the experience of exile in his poem ''In der Fremde'' ("Abroad"): | ||
+ | {| | ||
+ | |valign=top| | ||
:''Ich hatte einst ein schönes Vaterland.'' | :''Ich hatte einst ein schönes Vaterland.'' | ||
:''Der Eichenbaum'' | :''Der Eichenbaum'' | ||
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:''Wie gut es klang) das Wort: »Ich liebe dich!«'' | :''Wie gut es klang) das Wort: »Ich liebe dich!«'' | ||
:''Es war ein Traum.'' | :''Es war ein Traum.'' | ||
− | + | |valign=top| | |
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:''Oh, once I had a lovely fatherland.'' | :''Oh, once I had a lovely fatherland.'' | ||
::''The oaks grew tall'' | ::''The oaks grew tall'' | ||
Line 44: | Line 39: | ||
::''I dreamt it all.'' | ::''I dreamt it all.'' | ||
(Translation by [[Hal Draper]]) | (Translation by [[Hal Draper]]) | ||
+ | |} | ||
− | Heine suffered from ailments that kept him bedridden for the last eight years of his life (some have suggested he suffered from | + | Heine suffered from ailments that kept him bedridden for the last eight years of his life (some have suggested he suffered from multiple sclerosis or syphilis). He died in Paris and is interred in the Cimetière de Montmartre. |
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==Selected works== | ==Selected works== | ||
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== Editions in English == | == Editions in English == | ||
* The Complete Poems of Heinrich Heine. A Modern English Version by Hal Draper, Suhrkamp/Insel Publishers Boston, 1982. ISBN 3518030485 | * The Complete Poems of Heinrich Heine. A Modern English Version by Hal Draper, Suhrkamp/Insel Publishers Boston, 1982. ISBN 3518030485 | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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* {{gutenberg author| id=Heinrich+Heine | name=Heinrich Heine}} | * {{gutenberg author| id=Heinrich+Heine | name=Heinrich Heine}} | ||
*[http://www.library.umass.edu/subject/music/heine "Ihr Lieder! Ihr meine guten Lieder!"] A guide to musical settings for one or two voices of the poetry of Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) by Peter W. Shea. | *[http://www.library.umass.edu/subject/music/heine "Ihr Lieder! Ihr meine guten Lieder!"] A guide to musical settings for one or two voices of the poetry of Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) by Peter W. Shea. |
Revision as of 22:04, 6 August 2006
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (born as Harry [Hebrew: Chaim] Heine December 13, 1797 – February 17, 1856) was one of the most significant German poets.
Life
Heine was born into an acculturated Jewish family in Düsseldorf, Germany. His father was a tradesman, who, during the French occupation, found new prospects opening up for Jews. When his father's business failed, Heine was sent to Hamburg, where his rich banker uncle Salomon encouraged him to undertake a career in commerce. Heine, however, failed miserably as a businessman, and he turned to the study of law at the universities of Göttingen, Bonn and Berlin. Heine quickly discovered that he was more interested in literature than in the law, though he nonetheless earned a law degree in 1825. During this time he had also decided to convert from Judaism to Protestantism. This was necessary because of the severe restrictions on Jews in many of the German states; in many cases, they were forbidden to enter certain professions. These included university lecturing, which was a particular ambition for Heine. As Heine said in self-justification, his conversion was "the ticket of admission into European culture". For much of the rest of his life Heine wrestled over the incompatible elements of his German and his Jewish identities.
Heine is best known for his lyric poetry, much of which (especially from his earlier works) was set to music by composers, most notably by Robert Schumann. Other composers who have set Heine include Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, Fanny Mendelssohn, Brahms, Hugo Wolf, and Richard Wagner.
As a poet Heine made his debut with Gedichte ("Poems") in 1821. Heine's one-sided infatuation with his cousins Amalie and Therese later inspired him to write some of his loveliest lyrics; Buch der Lieder ("Book of Songs", 1827) was Heine's first comprehensive collection of verse.
Heine left Germany for Paris, France in 1831. There he associated with utopian socialists, including the followers of Count Saint-Simon, who preached an egalitarian classless paradise based on meritocracy.
Heine remained in Paris, with the exception of a visit in 1843 to Germany, for the rest of his life. Heine continued, however, to comment on German politics and society from a distance. Heine wrote Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen (Germany. A Winter's Tale), an account of his visit to Germany the previous year and the political climate there, in 1844; his friend, Karl Marx, published it in his newspaper Vorwärts ("Forward") in 1844. Heine also satirized the utopian politics of those opponents of the regime still in Germany in Atta Troll: Ein Sommernachtstraum ("Atta Troll: A Midsummer Night's Dream") in 1847.
Heine wrote movingly of the experience of exile in his poem In der Fremde ("Abroad"):
|
(Translation by Hal Draper) |
Heine suffered from ailments that kept him bedridden for the last eight years of his life (some have suggested he suffered from multiple sclerosis or syphilis). He died in Paris and is interred in the Cimetière de Montmartre.
Selected works
- Auf Flügeln des Gesanges
- Gedichte, 1821
- Tragödien, nebst einem lyrischen Intermezzo, 1823
- Reisebilder, 1826-31
- Die Harzreise, 1826
- Ideen, das Buch le Grand, 1827
- Englische Fragmente, 1827
- Buch der Lieder, 1827
- Französische Zustände, 1833
- Zur Geschichte der neueren schönen Literatur in Deutschland, 1833
- Die romantische Schule, 1836
- Der Salon, 1836-40
- Über Ludwig Börne, 1840
- Neue Gedichte, 1844 - New Poems
- Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen, 1844 - Germany
- Atta Troll. Ein Sommernachtstraum, 1847
- Romanzero, 1851
- Der Doktor Faust, 1851
- Les Dieux en Exil, 1853
- Die Harzreise, 1853
- Lutezia, 1854
- Vermischte Schriften, 1854
- Letzte Gedichte und Gedanken, 1869
- Sämtliche Werke, 1887-90 (7 Vols.)
- Sämtliche Werke, 1910-20
- Sämtliche Werke, 1925-30
- Werke und Briefe, 1961-64
- Sämtliche Schriften, 1968
Editions in English
- The Complete Poems of Heinrich Heine. A Modern English Version by Hal Draper, Suhrkamp/Insel Publishers Boston, 1982. ISBN 3518030485
External links
- Works by Heinrich Heine. Project Gutenberg
- "Ihr Lieder! Ihr meine guten Lieder!" A guide to musical settings for one or two voices of the poetry of Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) by Peter W. Shea.
- Heinrich-Heine-Gesellschaft e.V.
- Heinrich-Heine-Institut
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
- Complete works of Heine online (in German)
- Deutsche Welle's review of Heinrich Heine - 150 years after his death.
- Heine Year 2006 includes: Heine-Events, a short multimedial Biography, Interpretation of Works, Heine-Rankings, Heine-Quiz, Heine-Manga etc.
- Selected English translations online
- Art of the States: The Resounding Lyre Musical setting of Heine's poem "Halleluja"
- Heinrich Heine's holy hits, Georg Klein's top ten Heine quotes on religion
Credits
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