Ernst Ortlepp, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

Ernst Ortlepp

German poet

Date of Birth: 01-Aug-1800

Place of Birth: Droyßig, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Date of Death: 14-Jun-1864

Profession: writer, poet, author

Nationality: Germany

Zodiac Sign: Leo


Show Famous Birthdays Today, Germany

👉 Worldwide Celebrity Birthdays Today

About Ernst Ortlepp

  • Ernst Ortlepp (August 1, 1800 - June 14, 1864) was a German poet. Ortlepp was born in Droyßig near Zeitz as the son of a Lutheran priest.
  • He went to school in Pforta until he was 19 years old and then studied theology and philosophy in Leipzig.
  • He left the university in 1824 without taking a degree. Ortlepp returned to Leipzig during the thirties of the 19th century and became famous for his political poems.
  • Some of them were dedicated to Poland and its struggle for independence.
  • Around this time he became an acquaintance of the young Richard Wagner (Ortlepp also met Johann Wolfgang von Goethe a few years before).
  • His critical statements in Fieschi alarmed the Austrian statesman Metternich, who used his power to forbid the further publishment of this poem.
  • Ortlepp finally became Leipzig's persona non grata in 1836. He went to Württemberg, where he lived since 1837.
  • In this period he made a living by translating the works of other poets like Lord Byron.
  • Ortlepp tried to create a national poem, which he called Germania, during the Revolution of 1848.
  • His financial situation worsened and he was thrown out of Württemberg in 1853.
  • He then returned to his homeland. Ortlepp's life became even more unstable, after his failed attempt to become a college-teacher in 1856.
  • He got into some trouble, probably caused by alcoholism, and was imprisoned twice at Zeitz.
  • That didn't terminate his poetical career as he was still published in a newspaper of Naumburg.
  • He also wrote verses for private customers. During the last years of his life, he spent a lot of time at his old school, where several teachers and students became his friends.
  • Among them was Friedrich Nietzsche.
  • Some biographers believe that Ortlepp was Nietzsche's mentor and deeply influenced him. Ernst Ortlepp died near Pforta on June 14, 1864.
  • The circumstances of his death remained mysterious.
  • Nietzsche wrote the following words in a letter: Der alte Ortlepp ist übrigens todt.
  • Zwischen Pforta und Almrich fiel er in einen Graben und brach den Nacken.
  • In Pforta wurde er früh morgends bei düsterem Regen begraben; vier Arbeiter trugen den rohen Sarg; Prof.
  • Keil folgte mit einem Regenschirm.
  • Kein Geistlicher.
  • Wir sprachen ihn am Todestag in Almrich.
  • Er sagte, er gienge sich ein Logis im Saalthale zu miethen.
  • Wir wollen ihm einen kleinen Denkstein setzen; wir haben gesammelt; wir haben an 40 Thl. (Translation: Old Ortlepp is dead, by the way.
  • Between Pforta and Almrich, he fell in a roadside ditch and broke his neck.
  • They buried him at Pforta under dusky rain in the early morning; four workers carried the crude coffin; Professor Keil followed with an umbrella.
  • There was no priest.
  • We talked to him at Almrich on the day of his death.
  • He said he was going to rent an accommodation in the Saale valley.
  • We want to erect a small monument for him; we have collected money, about 40 Thaler.)

Read more at Wikipedia

See Also