BIEDERMANN

biedermann, friedrich karl (1812-1901), german publicist and historian, was born at leipzig on the 25th of september 1812, and after studying at leipzig and heidelberg became professor in the university of his native town in 1838. his early writings show him as an ardent advocate of german unity, and he was a member of the national parliament which met at frankfort in 1848. becoming a member of the upper house of the parliament of saxony, he advocated union under the leadership of prussia; and, subsequently losing his professorship, he retired to weimar, where he edited the _weimarische zeitung_. returning to leipzig in 1863 he edited the _deutsche allgemeine zeitung_, and regained his professorship in 1865. he was again a member of the saxon upper house, and from 1871 to 1874 a member of the german reichstag. he died at leipzig on the 5th of march 1901. biedermann's chief works are: _erinnerungen aus der paulskirche_ (leipzig, 1849); _deutschland im 18. jahrhundert_ (leipzig, 1854-1880); _friedrich der grosse und sein verhaeltnis zur entwickelung des deutschen geisteslebens_ (brunswick, 1859); _geschichte deutschlands 1815-1871_ (berlin, 1891); _deutsche volks- und kulturgeschichte_ (wiesbaden, 1901). he also wrote the dramas, _kaiser heinrich iv._ (weimar, 1861); _kaiser otto iii._ (leipzig, 1862); and _der letzte buergermeister von strassburg_ (leipzig, 1870).