Georg Büchner holds a unique place in the German-speaking literary scene of the 19th century and beyond. When he died at age 23, he had been active as a revolutionary in his homeland of Hesse and forced to flee into exile, first in France and later in Switzerland. The author of two acclaimed scientific texts, he had received a doctorate from Zurich University, where he embarked on a prestigious academic career shortly before his death. He left behind three dramas and a narrative text, also a large corpus of philosophical writings predominantly on Descartes and Spinoza: perceptive critiques of early Rationalist thought. His poetic oeuvre by far eclipsed in its originality most of the contemporary literary production. Although the reception of his works was hampered for decades by…
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Citation: Knapp, Gerhard P.. "Georg Büchner". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 January 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5188, accessed 21 November 2024.]
