Heinrich Heine

Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder (art songs) by composers such as Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Heine's later verse and prose are distinguished by their satirical wit and irony. He is considered part of the Young Germany movement. His radical political views led to many of his works being banned by German authorities. Heine spent the last 25 years of his life as an expatriate in Paris. Heine was born in Düsseldorf, then a part of the Duchy of Berg, into a Jewish family. He was called Harry in childhood but became known as Heinrich after his conversion to Lutheranism in 1825. He attended various universities, where he studied law, literature, and philosophy. He became acquainted with some of the leading figures of German Romanticism, such as Clemens Brentano and Achim von Arnim. He also developed a lifelong admiration for Goethe and Byron. Heine began his literary career as a journalist and co-editor of the Berliner Conversationsblatt. He published his first poems in 1821. His first major work was the Buch der Lieder (The Book of Songs), published in 1827. It contains some of his most famous poems, such as "Die Lorelei" and "Du bist wie eine Blume". The book was a great success and established Heine's reputation as a lyric poet. In 1831, Heine moved to Paris, where he became a prominent figure in the French literary scene. He wrote for several newspapers and magazines, such as Le Globe and La Revue des Deux Mondes. He also published several collections of poems, essays, travelogues, and memoirs. Some of his notable works from this period are Die Romantische Schule (The Romantic School), Reisebilder (Travel Pictures), Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen (Germany. A Winter's Tale), Atta Troll. Ein Sommernachtstraum (Atta Troll. A Midsummer Night's Dream), and Romanzero. Heine was a sharp critic of the political and social conditions in Germany and Europe. He supported the ideals of the French Revolution and advocated for democracy, liberalism, and nationalism. He denounced the oppression of the Jews and the censorship of the press. He also criticized the reactionary tendencies of German Romanticism and the rise of German nationalism. He was one of the first writers to acknowledge the power and danger of music, especially that of Richard Wagner. Heine suffered from various illnesses throughout his life, especially from spinal tuberculosis, which eventually confined him to a "mattress-grave" for eight years before his death. He died in Paris on 17 February 1856 and was buried at Montmartre Cemetery. His widow, Crescence Eugénie Mirat, whom he had married in 1841 after living with her for several years, inherited his estate. Heine's legacy is immense and controversial. His works have been translated into many languages and have influenced many writers, such as Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Mann, Jorge Luis Borges, and W.H. Auden. His poems have been set to music by hundreds of composers, such as Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Strauss, Mahler, Fauré, Debussy, Britten, Shostakovich, and Eisler. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest German poets and one of the most important figures of German literature and culture. However, he has also been the subject of criticism, censorship, and controversy, especially in Germany, where his works were banned by the Nazis and his grave was desecrated several times. He remains a source of inspiration and debate for many people around the world.