ANZENGRUBER

anzengruber, ludwig (1839-1889), austrian dramatist and novelist, was born at vienna on the 29th of november 1839. he was educated at the _realschule_ of his native town, and then entered a bookseller's shop; from 1860 to 1867 he was an actor, without, however, displaying any marked talent, although his stage experience later stood him in good stead. in 1869 he became a clerk in the viennese police department, but having in the following year made a success with his anti-clerical drama, _der pfarrer von kirchfeld_, he gave up his appointment and devoted himself entirely to literature. he died at vienna on the both of december 1889. anzengruber was exceedingly fertile in ideas, and wrote a great many plays. they are mostly of austrian peasant life, and although somewhat melancholy in tone are interspersed with bright and witty scenes. among the best known are _der meineidbauer_ (1871), _die kreuzelschreiber_ (1872), _der g'wissenswurm_ (1874), _hand und herz_ (1875), _doppelselbstmord_ (1875), _das vierte gebot_ (1877), and _der fleck auf der ehr'_ (1889). anzengruber also published a novel of considerable merit, _der schandfleck_ (1876; remodelled 1884); and various short stories and tales of village life collected under the title _wolken und sunn'schein_ (1888). anzengruber's collected works, with a biography, were published in 10 vols. in 1890 (3rd ed. 1897); his correspondence has been edited by a. bettelheim (1902). see a. bettelheim, _l. anzengruber_ (1890); l. rosner, _erinnerungen an l. anzengruber_ (1890): h. sittenberger, _studien zur dramaturgie der gegenwart_ (1899); s. friedmann, _l. anzengruber_ (1902).