Wilhelm Grimm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilhelm Grimm
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| Born | Wilhelm Carl Grimm 24 February 1786 Hanau, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel in the Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 16 December 1859 (aged 73) Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia in the German Confederation |
| Alma mater | University of Marburg |
| Children | Herman Grimm |
| Parents | Philipp Grimm (father) Dorothea Grimm (mother) |
| Relatives | Jacob Grimm (brother) Ludwig Emil Grimm (brother) Gisela von Arnim (daughter-in-law) Ludwig Hassenpflug (brother-in-law) |
Wilhelm Carl Grimm (born February 24, 1786 – died December 16, 1859) was a German writer and expert on human cultures. He was the younger brother of Jacob Grimm. Together, they are famous as the Brothers Grimm, known for their collection of fairy tales.
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Wilhelm Grimm's Life and Work
Wilhelm was born in February 1786 in a town called Hanau. This town was in a region known as Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel at the time. In 1803, he started studying law at the University of Marburg. His brother Jacob had started there one year before him.
A Special Bond
Wilhelm and Jacob were always very close. They shared a bed and a table when they were younger. As students, they had two beds and two tables in the same room. They always lived together and shared their books and belongings.
In 1825, Wilhelm, who was 39, married a woman named Henriette Dorothea Wild, also called Dortchen. Wilhelm's marriage did not change how close the brothers were. A visitor named Richard Cleasby noticed this. He said they lived in such harmony that it seemed like the children were shared by both brothers.
Wilhelm's Personality
Wilhelm's personality was quite different from his brother Jacob's. When he was a boy, Wilhelm was strong and healthy. However, he got very sick as he grew up. This illness made him weak for the rest of his life.
Wilhelm was not as energetic or broad-minded as his brother. He preferred to focus on smaller, specific areas of study. He only used information that directly helped his own work. Most of his studies were about literature.
Wilhelm really loved music, even though his brother Jacob did not care for it much. Wilhelm was also a wonderful storyteller. Richard Cleasby said that Wilhelm was "an uncommonly animated, jovial fellow." This means he was lively and cheerful. People enjoyed his company, and he went out more often than his brother.
Fairy Tales and Protests
The Grimm brothers first published a collection of fairy tales in 1812. These stories are now famous around the world as Grimms' Fairy Tales.
From 1837 to 1841, the Grimm brothers joined five other professors at the University of Göttingen. They formed a group called the Göttinger Sieben, which means The Göttingen Seven. They protested against Ernest Augustus I of Hanover, who was the King of Hanover. They believed the king had broken the country's constitution, which is a set of rules for how a government works. Because of their protest, all seven professors were fired by the king.
Wilhelm Grimm passed away in Berlin on December 16, 1859. He was 73 years old and died from an infection.
Wilhelm's Children
Wilhelm and Henriette had four children:
- Jacob (born April 3, 1826 – died December 15, 1826)
- Herman Friedrich (born January 6, 1828 – died June 16, 1901), who also became a well-known writer
- Rudolf Georg (born March 31, 1830 – died November 13, 1889)
- Barbara Auguste Luise Pauline Marie (born August 21, 1832 – died February 9, 1919)
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