Ludwig Anzengruber facts for kids
Ludwig Anzengruber (born November 29, 1839 – died December 10, 1889) was an Austrian writer. He wrote plays, novels, and poems. Ludwig was born and passed away in Vienna, Austria.
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Where Ludwig Came From
Ludwig's family, the Anzengrubers, originally came from a part of Upper Austria called Ried im Innkreis. His grandfather worked on a farm. Ludwig's father, Johann Anzengruber, moved to Vienna when he was young. There, he worked as a bookkeeper for the Austrian government.
In 1838, Johann married Maria Herbich. Her father was a pharmacist. It's interesting that Ludwig's parents came from different backgrounds – his father from a farming family and his mother from a city family. These differences often appeared in Ludwig's stories and plays later on.
Ludwig's father was a big reason why Ludwig became a writer. His father secretly wrote poems, like the famous writer Friedrich Schiller. However, his father was not very successful. Only one of his plays was ever performed.
Ludwig's Early Life and Work
Ludwig was only five years old when his father died in 1844. His mother became the most important person in his life. She worked hard as a seamstress to support them with her small widow's pension.
When Ludwig's grandmother, who had helped them a lot, died in 1854, their financial situation became even tougher. But Ludwig's mother made many sacrifices so he could go to school. He attended elementary school from 1847 to 1850. Then he went to the Piarist high school from 1851 to 1853.
In 1855, Ludwig left school because his grades were getting worse. From 1856 to 1858, he worked as an apprentice at a bookstore. This job allowed him to read many books. However, his apprenticeship ended suddenly after he had disagreements with his boss.
At 19, after getting very sick with typhoid, Ludwig decided to become an actor. For the next ten years, he traveled with different acting groups around Austria. He played small roles in many theaters. He wasn't a great actor, but this experience helped him a lot when he started writing plays. One challenge for him was his strong dialect, which he could never completely get rid of.
In 1866, he moved back to Vienna. During this time, he wrote several dramas and short stories, but they were not successful.
Becoming a Famous Writer
In 1869, Ludwig found a job as a clerk at the police headquarters in Vienna. He probably needed the money. In 1870, he wrote a play called Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld (The Priest from Kirchfeld). He used the pen name L. Gruber for this play. It was a huge success when it first opened on November 5.
This play made him famous overnight. He was able to leave his police job and focus only on writing. This was a great relief for him.
In 1873, Ludwig married Adelinde Lipka, who was 16 years old. His mother had warned him against it. Adelinde was not very good at handling everyday life. This caused many problems in their marriage. Ludwig also had a lot of debt, and his close relationship with his mother sometimes added to their issues. Even though they had three children, they eventually divorced in 1889.
The years after his first big success were very good for Anzengruber. His plays were performed all over Europe. Sadly, his mother passed away in 1875 and could not fully share in his later success.
From 1882 to 1885, he worked as an editor for a Viennese newspaper called Die Heimat (The Homeland). In 1884, he became an editor for the magazine Figaro. In 1888, he became the editor of the Wiener Bote (Vienna Messenger).
In September 1888, he got a job as a dramaturg (someone who helps choose and prepare plays) for the Volkstheater Wien in Vienna. This theater opened on September 14, 1889, with his play Der Fleck auf der Ehr (The Stain on Honour).
At the end of November, Ludwig, who was only fifty years old, became sick with anthrax. Less than two weeks later, he died from blood poisoning.
Selected Works
Plays
Most of Anzengruber's plays are about the lives of farmers in Austria. They often have a serious or sad feeling, but they also include funny and clever parts.
- Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld (The Priest from Kirchfeld) – First shown: November 5, 1870
- Der Meineidbauer (The Perjuring Farmer) – First shown: December 9, 1871
- Die Kreuzelschreiber – First shown: October 12, 1872
- Elfriede – First shown: April 24, 1873
- Die Tochter des Wucherers (The Usurer's Daughter) – First shown: October 17, 1873
- Der G'wissenswurm (The Worm of Conscience) – First shown: September 19, 1874
- Hand und Herz (Hand and Heart) – First shown: December 31, 1874
- Der ledige Hof – First shown: January 27, 1877
- Das vierte Gebot (The Fourth Commandment) – First shown: December 29, 1878
Novels
- Der Schandfleck (The Mark of Shame) – First published: 1877
- Der Sternsteinhof (The Sternstein Manor) – Published: 1885
Anzengruber also wrote many short stories and village tales. These were collected in a book called Wolken und Sunn'schein (1888).
See also
In Spanish: Ludwig Anzengruber para niños
