Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann
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Self-portrait
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| Born | Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann 24 January 1776 Königsberg, Kingdom of Prussia, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 25 June 1822 (aged 46) Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation |
| Pen name | E. T. A. Hoffmann |
| Occupation | Jurist, author, composer, music critic, artist |
| Period | 1809–1822 |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Literary movement | Romanticism |
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Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born in Königsberg on 24 January 1776; died in Berlin on 25 June 1822) was a very talented German man. He was a writer, a composer, a music critic, a painter, a caricaturist, and a lawyer. He loved the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart so much that he changed his third name from Wilhelm to Amadeus. That is why he is always known as E. T. A. Hoffmann.
Hoffmann was good at many things, but he is most famous as a Romantic writer. He wrote exciting fantasy and horror stories. These stories greatly influenced German literature in the 19th century. His tales also inspired many musical works. For example, he is the main character in Jacques Offenbach's famous opera The Tales of Hoffmann. His fantasy stories were also used in other musical pieces, like Delibes’s ballet Coppélia.
Contents
Hoffmann's Life Story
Growing Up and Early Career
Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann studied law at the University of Königsberg. He finished his studies when he was only 16 years old. He then completed more training in Glogau and Berlin. His first job was in Posen.
In 1802, he got married. But in the same year, he had to leave his job. This happened because he had drawn funny pictures, called caricatures, that made fun of some important people. He soon moved to Warsaw. There, he worked as a lawyer and met many famous writers. He also composed music, including a symphony and a harp quintet. He even wrote music for plays.
Challenges and New Beginnings
After the French army invaded in 1806, the political situation changed. Hoffmann lost his job because of this. He tried to find work in Berlin but was not successful.
In 1808, he moved to Bamberg. He lived there for five years. His job in Bamberg was to be a conductor for the theater. He also designed sets for plays. During this time, he fell in love with a young girl named Julia Marc. He composed sacred music and operas. He also wrote music reviews and stories for a newspaper called Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung. Some of his famous short stories from this time include Ritter Gluck and Don Juan. He also wrote a series called Kreisleriana, which was about the musical struggles of a music director named Johannes Kreisler.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1813, Hoffmann left Bamberg. He spent some time in Dresden and Leipzig. From 1814 onwards, he lived in Berlin. He was a very good lawyer and worked carefully as a court official. At the same time, he spent a lot of time on his art. He often met with his writer friends to talk about books. He wrote more stories, including Die Lebensansichten des Katers Murr (Tom-cat Murr’s views on life).
Sadly, his health started to get worse. He became ill with a condition that caused his body to become weak. He also got into trouble again because of his satire (making fun of things in a clever way). But before his punishment could be decided, he became very sick and passed away.
Hoffmann's Famous Stories
Hoffmann wrote many different kinds of stories. Some of them are about fate, which means what is meant to happen. An example is Elixiere des Teufels. This story is about a Capuchin monk who is tempted by a drink offered by the devil.
Some of his stories are fairy tales. These include Der goldene Topf (The golden pan) and Nussknacker und Mausekönig (Nutcracker and Mouse King). In many of his stories, magical or supernatural things happen in everyday life. Some of his tales are also a bit like an autobiography. They are fantasies about himself. The story about Kreisler became very popular. Musicians, like Robert Schumann, even used it to inspire their own music, such as his piano pieces called Kreisleriana.
Hoffmann is known as one of the greatest writers of German prose. He made his imaginary worlds feel real with his Romantic characters.
Images for kids
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Hoffmann's portrait of Kapellmeister Kreisler
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Grave of E. T. A. Hoffmann. The words on his grave say: E. T. W. Hoffmann, born on 24 January 1776, in Königsberg, died on 25 June 1822, in Berlin, Councillor of the Court of Justice, excellent in his office, as a poet, as a musician, as a painter, dedicated by his friends.
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Four volume set of Hoffmann's writings
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Hoffmann's drawing of himself, riding on Tomcat Murr and fighting "Prussian bureaucracy"
See also
In Spanish: E. T. A. Hoffmann para niños
