CHRISTIAN

See also:

• DIETRICH, CHRISTIAN WILHELM ERNST (1712-1774)

DIETRICH

See also:

• CHRISTIAN DIETRICH GRABBE (1801-1836)

GRABBE (1801-1836)  , German dramatist, was born at Detmold on the llth of December 18or . Entering the university of Leipzig in 1819 as a student of law, he continued the reckless habits which he had begun at Detmold, and neglected his studies . Being introduced into literary circles, he conceived the idea of becoming an actor and wrote the drama Herzog Theodor von Gothland (1822) . This, though showing considerable literary talent, lacks artistic form, and is morally repulsive . Ludwig Tieck, while encouraging the young author, pointed out its faults, and tried to reform Grabbe himself . In 1822 Grabbe removed to Berlin University, and in 1824 passed his advocate's examination . He now settled in his native town as a lawyer and in 1827 was appointed a Militarauditeur . In 1833 he married, but in consequence of his drunken habits was dismissed from his office, and, separating from his wife, visited Dusseldorf, where he was kindly received by Karl Immermann . After a serious quarrel with the latter, he returned to Detmold, where, as a result of his excesses, he died on the 12th of September 1836 . Grabbe had real poetical gifts, and many of his dramas contain fine passages and a wealth of original ideas . They largely reflect his own life and character, and are characterized by cynicism and indelicacy . Their construction also is defective and little suited to the requirements of the stage .

The boldly conceived

Don Juan and Faust (1829) and the historical dramas Friedrich Barbarossa (x829), Heinrich VI . (183o), and Napoleon Oder die Hundert Tage (1831), the last of which places the battle of Waterloo upon the stage, are his best works . Among others are the unfinished tragedies Marius and Sulla (continued by Erich Korn, Berlin, 1890); and Hannibal (1835, supplemented and edited by C . Spielmann, Halle, 1901); and the patriotic Hermannsschlacht or the battle between Arminius and Varus (posthumously published with a biographical notice, by E . Duller, 1838) . Grabbe's works have been edited by O . Blumenthal (4 vols., 1875), and E . Grisebach (4 vols., 1902) . For further notices of his life, see K . Ziegler, Grabbes Leben and Charakter (1855); O . Blumenthal, Beitrage zur Kenntnis Grabbes (1875) ; C . A .

Piper, Grabbe (1898), and A . Ploch, Grabbes Stellung in der deutschen Literatur (1905) .