GRABBE

grabbe, christian dietrich (1801-1836), german dramatist, was born at detmold on the 11th of december 1801. entering the university of leipzig in 1819 as a student of law, he continued the reckless habits which he had begun at detmold, and neglected his studies. being introduced into literary circles, he conceived the idea of becoming an actor and wrote the drama _herzog theodor von gothland_ (1822). this, though showing considerable literary talent, lacks artistic form, and is morally repulsive. ludwig tieck, while encouraging the young author, pointed out its faults, and tried to reform grabbe himself. in 1822 grabbe removed to berlin university, and in 1824 passed his advocate's examination. he now settled in his native town as a lawyer and in 1827 was appointed a _militarauditeur_. in 1833 he married, but in consequence of his drunken habits was dismissed from his office, and, separating from his wife, visited dusseldorf, where he was kindly received by karl immermann. after a serious quarrel with the latter, he returned to detmold, where, as a result of his excesses, he died on the 12th of september 1836. grabbe had real poetical gifts, and many of his dramas contain fine passages and a wealth of original ideas. they largely reflect his own life and character, and are characterized by cynicism and indelicacy. their construction also is defective and little suited to the requirements of the stage. the boldly conceived _don juan und faust_ (1829) and the historical dramas _friedrich barbarossa_ (1829), _heinrich vi._ (1830), and _napoleon oder die hundert tage_ (1831), the last of which places the battle of waterloo upon the stage, are his best works. among others are the unfinished tragedies _marius and sulla_ (continued by erich korn, berlin, 1890); and _hannibal_ (1835, supplemented and edited by c. spielmann, halle, 1901); and the patriotic _hermannsschlacht_ or the battle between arminius and varus (posthumously published with a biographical notice, by e. duller, 1838). grabbe's works have been edited by o. blumenthal (4 vols., 1875), and e. grisebach (4 vols., 1902). for further notices of his life, see k. ziegler, _grabbes leben und charakter_ (1855); o. blumenthal, _beitrage zur kenntnis grabbes_ (1875); c. a. piper, _grabbe_ (1898), and a. ploch, _grabbes stellung in der deutschen literatur_ (1905).