Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 November 1811) was a German

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire to ...

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

writer and

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

. His best known works are the theatre plays ''

Das Käthchen von Heilbronn ' (''Katie of Heilbronn or The Trial by Fire'') (1807–1808) is a "great historical knightly play" (German: ') in five acts by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. The action of the drama takes place in Swabia during the Middle Ages. Perf ...

'', ''

The Broken Jug ''The Broken Jug'' (german: Der zerbrochne Krug, link=no, , also sometimes translated ''The Broken Pitcher'') is a comedy written by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. Kleist first conceived the idea for the play in 1801, upon looking at ...

'', ''Amphitryon'' and ''

Penthesilea Penthesilea ( el, Πενθεσίλεια, Penthesíleia) was an Amazonian queen in Greek mythology, the daughter of Ares and Otrera and the sister of Hippolyta, Antiope and Melanippe. She assisted Troy in the Trojan War, during which she w ...

'', and the novellas ''

Michael Kohlhaas ''Michael Kohlhaas'' is a novella by the German author Heinrich von Kleist, based on a 16th-century story of Hans Kohlhase. Kleist published fragments of the work in volume 6 of his literary journal ''Phöbus'' in June 1808. The complete work wa ...

'' and '' The Marquise of O.'' Kleist died by suicide together with a close female friend who was terminally ill. The

Kleist Prize The Kleist Prize is an annual German literature prize. The prize was first awarded in 1912, on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the death of Heinrich von Kleist. The Kleist Prize was the most important literary award of the Weimar Repu ...

, a prestigious prize for German literature, is named after him, as was the

Kleist Theater The Kleist Theater was a theatre and opera house in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. It opened in 1945 and was named after Heinrich von Kleist Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 November 1811) was a German poet, dramatist, novelist, ...

in his birthplace

Frankfurt an der Oder Frankfurt (Oder), also known as Frankfurt an der Oder (), is a city in the German state of Brandenburg. It has around 57,000 inhabitants, is one of the easternmost cities in Germany, the fourth-largest city in Brandenburg, and the largest German ...

Life

Kleist was born into the

von Kleist The House of Kleist is the name of an old and distinguished Pomeranian Prussian noble family, whose members obtained many important military positions within the Kingdom of Prussia and later in the German Empire. Notable members *Henning Alexan ...

family in

in the

Margraviate of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg (german: link=no, Markgrafschaft Brandenburg) was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe. Brandenburg developed out o ...

, a province of the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Re ...

. After a scanty education, he entered the

Prussian Army The Royal Prussian Army (1701–1919, german: Königlich Preußische Armee) served as the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It became vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power. The Prussian Army had its roots in the co ...

in 1792, served in the Rhine campaign of 1796, and retired from the service in 1799 with the rank of lieutenant. He studied law and philosophy at the

Viadrina University European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) (german: Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)) is a university located at Frankfurt (Oder) in Brandenburg, Germany. It is also known as the University of Frankfurt (Oder). The city is on the ...

, and in 1800, received a subordinate post in the Ministry of Finance at Berlin. In the following year, Kleist's roving restless spirit got the better of him, and procuring a lengthened leave of absence, he visited Paris, then settled in Switzerland. There, he found congenial friends in

Heinrich Zschokke Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke (22 March 177127 June 1848) was a German, later Swiss, author and reformer. Most of his life was spent, and most of his reputation earned, in Switzerland. He had an extensive civil service career, and wrote hist ...

and (1777–1819), son of the poet

Christoph Martin Wieland Christoph Martin Wieland (; 5 September 1733 – 20 January 1813) was a German poet and writer. He is best-remembered for having written the first ''Bildungsroman'' (''Geschichte des Agathon''), as well as the epic ''Oberon'', which formed the ba ...

; and to them, he read his first drama, a gloomy tragedy, ' (1803). In the autumn of 1802, Kleist returned to Germany; he visited

Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as treat ...

Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...

, and Wieland in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...

, stayed for a while in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

and

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

, returned to Paris. Returning in 1804 to his post in Berlin, he transferred to the Domänenkammer (department for the administration of crown lands) at

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...

. On a journey to Dresden in 1807, Kleist was arrested by the French as a spy; he remained a close prisoner of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

in the

Fort de Joux The Fort de Joux or Château de Joux is a castle, later transformed into a fort, located in La Cluse-et-Mijoux in the Doubs department in the Jura mountains of France. It commands the mountain pass ''Cluse de Pontarlier''. History The Ch� ...

. On regaining his liberty, he proceeded to Dresden, where, in conjunction with Adam Heinrich Müller (1779–1829), he published the journal '' Phöbus'' in 1808. Grabstätte Bismarckstr 2-4 (Wanns) Heinrich von Kleist 1

Grabstätte Bismarckstr 2-4 (Wanns) Heinrich von Kleist 1

In 1809 Kleist went to

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, and ultimately settled in Berlin. He edited (1810/1811) the '. Captivated by the intellectual and musical accomplishments of the terminally-ill Henriette Vogel^{( de)}. Kleist, more disheartened and embittered than ever, agreed to do her bidding and die with her, carrying out this resolution by first shooting Vogel then himself on the shore of the Kleiner

Wannsee Wannsee () is a locality in the southwestern Berlin borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Germany. It is the westernmost locality of Berlin. In the quarter there are two lakes, the larger ''Großer Wannsee'' (Greater Wannsee, "See" means lake) and the ...

(Little Wannsee) near

Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...

, on 21 November 1811. According to the ''

Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is a 29-volume reference work, an edition of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. So ...

'', "Kleist's whole life was filled by a restless striving after ideal and illusory happiness, and this is reflected in his work. He was by far the most important North German dramatist of the

Romantic movement Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

, and no other of the Romanticists approaches him in the energy with which he expresses patriotic indignation."

A life with a plan

In the spring of 1799, the 21-year-old Kleist wrote a letter to his half-sister in which he found it "incomprehensible how a human being can live without a life plan" (''Lebensplan'').Heinrich von Kleist, ''The Marquise of O– and other stories.'' Ed. and translated by

David Luke David Luke (1921–2005) was a scholar of German literature at Christ Church, Oxford. He was renowned for his translations of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Thomas Mann, Heinrich von Kleist, Eduard Mörike, Adalbert Stifter and the Brothers Grimm ...

and Nigel Reeves. (New York: Penguin Books, 1978), 7. In effect, Kleist sought and discovered an overwhelming sense of security by looking to the future with a definitive plan for his life. It brought him happiness and assured him of confidence, especially knowing life without a plan only saw despair and discomfort. The

irony Irony (), in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what on the surface appears to be the case and what is actually the case or to be expected; it is an important rhetorical device and literary technique. Irony can be categorized into ...

of his

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

is the fodder of his critics.

Relationship with Henriette Vogel and suicide pact

Kleist met Henriette Vogel in 1809 through his friend Adam Müller; a friendship flourished. They shared a fondness for music, and according to Ernest Peguilhen, Henriette Vogel asked her friend to explain to her the art of war, as well as to teach her

fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...

, for the dramatist was a soldier. The relationship between the two became intimate in the autumn of 1811. According to their contemporaries, there was no fire of passion but a purely spiritual love. His cousin Marie von Kleist, the most important sponsor and confidant of Heinrich von Kleist, also made sure these rumors spread. According to the autopsy report, Vogel was suffering from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. On November 21, 1811, the two traveled from Berlin to Wannsee. Prior to their departure, they penned farewell letters, which along with an account of the final night they spent at the inn Gasthof Stimming, are part of world literature. Upon their arrival in the vicinity of the

, Kleist shot Henriette, then turned the gun on himself. They were buried together in a common grave at Kleine Wannsee (Bismarckstrasse), which became a tourist attraction. It was re-designed prior to the bi-centenary of their deaths. On that occasion, direct access from Wannsee station to the grave was built. The gravestone, erected by Germans in 1936, was rotated, and shows engraved original text written by Max Ring and the Pater Noster's request: "forgive us our guilt" as well as the names and data of Henriette Vogel and Heinrich von Kleist. Heinrich von Kleist Monument

Literary works

His first

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

was ''The Schroffenstein Family'' (''Die Familie Schroffenstein''). The material for the second, ''

'' (1808), queen of the Amazons, is taken from a Greek source and presents a picture of wild passion. More successful than either of these was his romantic play, ''Käthchen of Heilbronn'' (''Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'') (1808), a poetic drama full of medieval bustle and mystery, which retained its popularity for many years. In

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

, Kleist made a name with ''

'' (''Der zerbrochne Krug'') (1808), while ' (1808), an adaptation of

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

's comedy, received critical acclaim long after his death. Of Kleist's other dramas, '' Die Hermannsschlacht'' (1809) is a dramatic work of anti-

Napoleonic Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

propaganda, written as Austria and France went to war. It has been described by

Carl Schmitt Carl Schmitt (; 11 July 1888 – 7 April 1985) was a German jurist, political theorist, and prominent member of the Nazi Party. Schmitt wrote extensively about the effective wielding of political power. A conservative theorist, he is noted as a ...

as the "greatest partisan work of all time". In it he gives vent to his hatred of his country's oppressors. This, together with the drama '' The Prince of Homburg'' (''Prinz Friedrich von Homburg oder die Schlacht bei Fehrbellin''), which is among his best works, was first published by

Ludwig Tieck Johann Ludwig Tieck (; ; 31 May 177328 April 1853) was a German poet, fiction writer, translator, and critic. He was one of the founding fathers of the Romantic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Early life Tieck was born in Be ...

in Kleist's ''Hinterlassene Schriften'' (1821). ''Robert Guiskard'', a drama conceived on a grand plan, was left a fragment. Kleist was also a master in the art of narrative, and of his ''Gesammelte Erzählungen'' (''Collected Short Stories'') (1810–1811), ''

'', in which the famous

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...

horse dealer in

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

's day is immortalized, is one of the best German stories of its time. ''

The Earthquake in Chile ''The Earthquake in Chile'' (german: Das Erdbeben in Chili) is a short story written by Heinrich von Kleist (1777–1811) and published in 1807. The story's central characters are two lovers caught up in the chaos of the 1647 Santiago earthquake in ...

'' (''Das Erdbeben in Chili'') and ''

St. Cecilia, or the Power of Music "St. Cecilia, or the Power of Music" (german: Die heilige Cäcilie oder die Gewalt der Musik) is a short story by the German author Heinrich von Kleist. The story was written on October 27, 1810 as a gift for daughter of his friend Adam Müller, a ...

'' (''Die heilige Cäcilie oder die Gewalt der Musik'') are also fine examples of Kleist's story telling as is '' The Marquise of O'' (''Die Marquise von O''). His short narratives influenced those of

Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. It typ ...

and the novellas of the Austrian writer

Friedrich Halm Baron Eligius Franz Joseph von Münch-Bellinghausen (german: Eligius Franz Joseph Freiherr von Münch-Bellinghausen) (2 April 180622 May 1871) was an Austrian dramatist, poet and novella writer of the Austrian Biedermeier period and beyond, and is ...

. He also wrote patriotic lyrics in the context of the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

Work in rhetoric

Kleist's work also delved into the realm of

rhetoric Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...

. Most notable for his use of error and understanding its importance, Kleist's devices used were misspeaking, misunderstanding, mistaken identities, and other confusions of the sort. In his works one can see the most prevalent use of rhetoric within ''Penthesilea''. In the story moments of violence, seduction and war all hinge upon errors in language. Through these errors, Kleist shows how error can influence everyday situation and can be the causation of serious problems. As a sum, Kleist's use of error explores what one can make of ironic errors within speech.

Philosophical essays

Kleist is also famous for his essays on subjects of

aesthetics Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed thr ...

and psychology which, to the closer look, show a keen insight into the metaphysical questions discussed by philosophers of his time, such as

Kant Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German Philosophy, philosopher and one of the central Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemolo ...

Fichte Johann Gottlieb Fichte (; ; 19 May 1762 – 29 January 1814) was a German philosopher who became a founding figure of the philosophical movement known as German idealism, which developed from the theoretical and ethical writings of Immanuel Ka ...

and

Schelling Schelling is a surname. Notable persons with that name include: * Caroline Schelling (1763–1809), German intellectual * Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775–1854), German philosopher * Felix Emanuel Schelling (1858–1945), American educat ...

''On the Gradual Production of Thoughts Whilst Speaking''

In the first of his larger essays, ''On the Gradual Production of Thoughts Whilst Speaking'' ('), Kleist claims that most people are advised to speak only about what they already understand.Heinrich von Kleist, ''On the Gradual Production of Thoughts Whilst Speaking.'' Ed. and Trans. by David Constantine. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2004), 405. Instead of talking about what you already know, Kleist admonishes his readers to speak to others with "the sensible intention of instructing yourself." Fostering a dialogue through the art of "skillful questioning" can play a role in achieving a rational or enlightened state of mind, but need not ("Nor is it that her skillful questioning leads me on to the point which matters, though this may frequently be the case" (von Kleist, p. 405)). And yet, Kleist employs the example of the French Revolution as the climactic event of the Enlightenment era whereby man broke free from his dark and feudal chains in favor of liberty, equality, fraternity. It is not that easy though for Kleist. Man cannot simply guide himself into the future with a rational mind as his primary tool. Therefore, Kleist strongly advocates for the usefulness of reflection '' ex post facto'' or after the fact.Heinrich von Kleist, ''On the Gradual Production of Thoughts Whilst Speaking.'' Ed. and Trans. by David Constantine. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2004), 410. In doing so, man will be able to mold his collective

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...

in a manner conducive to the principles of

free will Free will is the capacity of agents to choose between different possible courses of action unimpeded. Free will is closely linked to the concepts of moral responsibility, praise, culpability, sin, and other judgements which apply only to actio ...

. By reflecting after the fact, man will avoid the seemingly detestable inhibitions offered in rational thought. In other words, the

will to power The will to power (german: der Wille zur Macht) is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. The will to power describes what Nietzsche may have believed to be the main driving force in humans. However, the concept was never systematic ...

has "its splendid source in the feelings," and thus, man must overcome his "struggle with

Fate Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...

" with a balanced mixture of

wisdom Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, ...

and passion.

Bibliography

His ''Gesammelte Schriften'' were published by

(3 vols. 1826) and by Julian Schmidt (new ed. 1874); also by Franz Muncker (4 vols. 1882); by Theophil Zolling (4 vols. 1885); by K. Siegen, (4 vols. 1895); and in a critical edition by Erich Schmidt (5 vols. 1904–1905). His ''Ausgewählte Dramen'' were published by K. Siegen (Leipzig, 1877); and his letters were first published by Eduard von Bülow, ''Heinrich von Kleists Leben und Briefe'' (1848). Plays * ''Die Familie Schroffenstein'', written 1802, published anonymously in 1803, premiered 9 January 1804 in Graz * ''Robert Guiskard, Herzog der Normänner'', written 1802–1803, published April/May 1808 in '' Phöbus'', first performed on 6 April 1901 at the Berliner Theater in Berlin * '' Der zerbrochne Krug'' (''The Broken Jug''), written 1803–1806, premiered 2 March 1808 at the Hoftheater in Weimar * ''Amphitryon'', written 1807, first performed on 8 April 1899 at the Neuen Theater in Berlin * ''

'', completed 1807, published 1808, first performed in May 1876 at the Königlichen Schauspielhaus in Berlin * '' Das Käthchen von Heilbronn oder Die Feuerprobe. Ein großes historisches Ritterschauspiel'', written 1807–1808, partially published in ''Phöbus'' 1808, premiered 17 March 1810 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, revised and fully published in 1810 * '' Die Hermannsschlacht'', written 1809, posthumously published 1821, first performed on 18 October 1860 in Breslau * '' Prinz Friedrich von Homburg'' (''The Prince of Homburg''), written 1809–1811, first performed on 3 October 1821 as ''Die Schlacht von Fehrbellin'' at the Burgtheater in Vienna Novellas and short stories * '' Das Erdbeben in Chili'' (''The Earthquake in Chile''), published under the original title ''Jeronimo und Josephe'' 1807 in Cottas ''Morgenblatt für gebildete Stände''; revised and included in 1810 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 1) * '' Die Marquise von O....'', published February 1808 in ''Phöbus''; revised and included in 1810 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 1) * '' Michael Kohlhaas. Aus einer alten Chronik'', partially published June 1808 in ''Phöbus''; included in 1810 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 1) * ''Das Bettelweib von Locarno'' (''The Beggarwoman of Locarno''), published 11 October 1810 in the ''Berliner Abendblättern''; included in 1811 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 2) * '' Die heilige Cäcilie oder die Gewalt der Musik. Eine Legende'' (''St. Cecilia or The Power of Music''), published 15-17 November 1810 in the ''Berliner Abendblättern''; expanded and included in 1811 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 2) * ''Die Verlobung in St. Domingo'' (''The Betrothal in Santo Domingo''), published 25 March to 5 April 1811 in ''Der Freimüthige''; revised and included in 1811 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 2) * ''Der Findling'' (''The Foundling''), published in 1811 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 2) * ''Der Zweikampf'' (''The Duel''), published 1811 in ''Erzählungen'' (Volume 2) * ''Anekdoten'', published 1810–1811 in the ''Berliner Abendblättern''

Adaptations

Operas

* '' Der Prinz von Homburg'' (1960), composed by

Hans Werner Henze Hans Werner Henze (1 July 1926 – 27 October 2012) was a German composer. His large oeuvre of works is extremely varied in style, having been influenced by serialism, atonality, Stravinsky, Italian music, Arabic music and jazz, as well as t ...

* '' Der zerbrochne Krug'' (1968/69), composed by

Fritz Geißler Fritz Geißler (or Geissler) (16 September 1921 in Wurzen, Saxony – 11 January 1984 in Bad Saarow, Brandenburg) was one of the most important composers of the German Democratic Republic. The son of Elsa and Walther Geißler, he was raised in m ...

* ''

'' (1927), composed by

Othmar Schoeck Othmar Schoeck (1 September 1886 – 8 March 1957) was a Swiss Romantic classical composer, opera composer, musician, and conductor. He was known mainly for his considerable output of art songs and song cycles, though he also wrote a number of ...

* ''Penthesilea'' (2015), composed by

Pascal Dusapin Pascal Georges Dusapin (born 29 May 1955) is a French composer. His music is marked by its microtonality, tension, and energy. A pupil of Iannis Xenakis and Franco Donatoni and an admirer of Varèse, Dusapin studied at the University of Paris I ...

Films

* ''Wie zwei fröhliche Luftschiffer'' (''Like Two Merry Aeronauts'', 1969), 85 min; written and directed by

Jonatan Briel Jonatan Karl Dieter Briel (9 June 1942 – 26 December 1988) was a German director, screenplay author, and actor. He was born in Bodenwerder, Lower Saxony, and died in Berlin. He was strongly influenced by the works of the 19th-century poets ...

; DFFB Production. The film depicts the last three days of Kleist's life. With his lover, Henriette Vogel, dying of cancer, Kleist philosophizes about life and welcomes his planned suicide. * ''

Michael Kohlhaas – der Rebell ''Man on Horseback'' (german: Michael Kohlhaas – der Rebell, link=no) is a 1969 West German drama film directed by Volker Schlöndorff based on the novel ''Michael Kohlhaas'' by Heinrich von Kleist. It was entered into the 1969 Cannes Film ...

'' (1969), directed by

Volker Schlöndorff Volker Schlöndorff (; born 31 March 1939 Friday) is a German film director, screenwriter and producer who has worked in Germany, France and the United States. He was a prominent member of the New German Cinema of the late 1960s and early 1970s, ...

* ''

San Domingo Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and t ...

'' (1970), directed by

Hans-Jürgen Syberberg Hans-Jürgen Syberberg (born 8 December 1935) is a German film director, whose best known film is his lengthy feature ''Hitler: A Film from Germany''. Early life Born in Nossendorf, Province of Pomerania (1815–1945), Pomerania, the son of a ...

* '' Earthquake in Chile'' (1975), directed by

Helma Sanders-Brahms Helma Sanders-Brahms (20 November 1940 – 27 May 2014) was a German film director, screenwriter and producer. Biography Helma Sanders was born on 20 November 1940 in Emden, Germany. She attended a school for acting in Hannover from 1960 to 1 ...

* '' The Marquise of O'' (1976), directed by

Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...

based on Kleist's '' Die Marquise von O'' * ' (1977), directed by

; about the author * ''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...

'' (1981), directed by

Miloš Forman Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech and American film director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the United States in 1968. Forman ...

and based on a novel of the same title by

E. L. Doctorow Edgar Lawrence Doctorow (January 6, 1931 – July 21, 2015) was an American novelist, editor, and professor, best known for his works of historical fiction. He wrote twelve novels, three volumes of short fiction and a stage drama. They included ...

; contains a subplot which follows closely the story of ''

'' * ''Heinrich Penthesilea von Kleist'' (1983), directed by

Hans Neuenfels Hans Neuenfels (; 31 May 1941 – 6 February 2022) was a German writer, poet, film producer, librettist, theatre director, opera director and theatre manager. As a director, he first focused on drama, staged at prominent houses such as the Vien ...

; intercuts rehearsals and discussions of that play * ''Die Familie oder Schroffenstein'' (1984), directed by Hans Neuenfels * '' Il principe di Homburg'' (1997), an Italian adaptation of '' Prinz Friedrich von Homburg oder die Schlacht bei Fehrbellin'' directed by

Marco Bellocchio Marco Bellocchio (; born 9 November 1939) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. Life and career Born in Bobbio, near Piacenza, Marco Bellocchio had a strict Catholic upbringing – his father was a lawyer, his mother a schooltea ...

* ''

The Jack Bull ''The Jack Bull'' is a 1999 American Western television film directed by John Badham and written by Dick Cusack, loosely inspired by Heinrich von Kleist's 1810 novel ''Michael Kohlhaas''. It stars John Cusack, John Goodman, L. Q. Jones, Mir ...

'' (1999), directed by

John Badham John MacDonald Badham (born August 25, 1939) is an English television and film director, best known for his films ''Saturday Night Fever'' (1977), ''Dracula'' (1979), ''Blue Thunder'' (1983), ''WarGames'' (1983), ''Short Circuit'' (1986), and ...

; loosely based on Kleist's ''

'' * ''

Il seme della discordia ''The Seed of Discord'' ( it, Il seme della discordia) is a 2008 Italian film. The film is a modernisation of Heinrich von Kleist's novel '' The Marquise of O''. It was entered into the main competition at the 65th Venice International Film Festi ...

'' (2008), directed by

Pappi Corsicato Pappi Corsicato (born 12 June 1960) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography * ''Libera (film), Libera'' (1993) * ''Black Holes (film), Black Holes'' (1995) * ''The Vesuvians'' (1997) * ''Chimera (2001 film), Chimera' ...

; a modern Italian adaptation of Kleist's '' Die Marquise von O'' * ' (2012), a German film directed by ; loosely based on Kleist's ''Michael Kohlhaas''. * ''

Amour Fou "Amour Fou" is the 38th episode of the HBO original series ''The Sopranos'' and the 12th of the show's third season. Its teleplay was written by Frank Renzulli from a story idea by series creator, David Chase. It was directed by Tim Van Patten a ...

'' (2014), directed by

Jessica Hausner Jessica Hausner (born 6 October 1972) is an Austrian film director and screenwriter. She received international attention in 2001 when her film ''Lovely Rita'', a portrait of a young girl who feels confined by family constraints, was screened in ...

, nominated in the

Un Certain Regard (, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob. The section presents 20 films w ...

category at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

2014, with Christian Friedel playing Heinrich and Birte Schnoeink playing Henriette. The film purports that Henriette does not in fact suffer from any type of tumour but that her symptoms have psychological causes. * '' Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas'' (2014), directed by

Arnaud des Pallières Arnaud des Pallières (born 1 December 1961) is a French film director and screenwriter. His film ''Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas'' was screened in the main competition section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Filmography R ...

; with

Mads Mikkelsen Mads Dittmann Mikkelsen, (; born 22 November 1965) is a Danish actor. Originally a gymnast and dancer, he rose to fame in Denmark as an actor for his roles such as Tonny in the first two films of the ''Pusher'' film trilogy (1996, 2004), Det ...

as Kohlhaas

References

External links

Das Kleist-Portal

Familienverband derer v. Kleist e.V
*

List of German-language playwrights This is a list of German-language playwrights. A *Herbert Achternbusch B * Wolfgang Bauer (1941–2005) *Thomas Bernhard *Leo Birinski * Nicolai Borger * Bertolt Brecht *Georg Büchner D *Friedrich Dürrenmatt F *Gustav Freytag G ...

* * * *
"On the Marionette Theatre," Translated by Idris Parry
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kleist, Heinrich von 1777 births 1811 deaths 1810s suicides 18th-century German poets 19th-century German poets 19th-century German novelists 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights 19th-century German male writers People from Frankfurt (Oder) People from the Margraviate of Brandenburg

Heinrich Heinrich may refer to: People * Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...

German male dramatists and playwrights German-language poets Writers from Brandenburg Suicides by firearm in Germany Joint suicides European University Viadrina alumni Prussian Army personnel Prussian military officers German military personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars

Life

A life with a plan

Relationship with Henriette Vogel and suicide pact

Literary works

Work in rhetoric

Philosophical essays

''On the Gradual Production of Thoughts Whilst Speaking''

Bibliography

Adaptations

Operas

Films

References

Further reading

External links