E.T.A. Hoffmann„Hoffmann kämpft

gegen die Bürokratie“ (“Hoffmann

fights against bureaucracy“) is a well known picture: you can see him (on the left) riding the cat Murr and fighting. Murr is one of the writer‘s characters – a very smart cat

But who was this person?

-date of birth: 24.1.1776

-he was a famous German writer

-he worked as an artist, he was a musician and a lawyer – all this can be found in his books

-he had to study law - like his parents did

-he was very interested in the interconnectedness of writing and drawing and teaching and music.

E.T.A Hoffmann and Bamberg• Hoffmann and his wife moved to

Bamberg in September 1808 (some of you were in Bamberg with Comenius!)

• he wanted to make music his profession, but he never managed to get a well paid job

• since 1810 he had been working in important positions at the theatre, he was the manager‘s assistant, but also painter for decoration

• while teaching music he fell in love with a student, but her mother didn‘ t like him…

• when he was finally offered a job as head of a big musical institute, he left Bamberg and went to Dresden and then Leipzig.

(Map : Bamberg)

Some of his most well known works are:

• „Der goldene Topf“ – „The golden pot“• „Elixiere des Teufels“ – „Elixirs of the devil“• „Lebensansichten des Katers Murr“ – „A cat‘s

views on life – Murr the cat philosopher“• „Meister Floh“ – „Doctor flea“• „Prinzessin Brambilla“ – „Princess Brambilla“• „Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober“ – „Little

Zaches, they called him Zinnober“• „Nussknacker und Mausekönig“ – „Nutcracker

and king of the mice“

Famous sentences:

• Den Fortschritt verdanken wir den Kurzschläfern.Langschläfer können nur bewahren. („We owe progress to those who sleep little. Those who need more sleep can only sustain what is there.“)

• Wo die Sprache aufhört, fängt die Musik an. (Language has ist limits. This is where music begins.)

• Wer wagt, durch das Reich der Träume zu schreiten, gelangt zur Wahrheit. („People who dare to walk through the realm of dreams will find the truth.“)

Death

-he died 25.6.1822 in Berlin-a memorial sign can

be seen on a building in the„Charlottenstraße“(street) in Berlin

-his grave can be visited inBerlin as well