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Gottfried August Bürger - Biography

Biography of Gottfried August Bürger: Poet, Philosopher and Literary Romantic

Gottfried August (1 January 1747 - 8 June 1794) is a name associated with romanticism, passion for nature, and expressive poetic language. The German poet, philosopher and literary romantic is considered one of the key figures of the literary movement of sturm and drang (storm and onslaught). In this biography, we look at key moments in the life and work of Gottfried August.

Gottfried August was born in Moldeberg, a small town in Saxony, Germany. His father was a pastor, and this affected the early upbringing of Gottfried, who got acquainted with biblical texts and religious ideas.

In 1766 he entered the University of Halle, where he began to study theology and philosophy. However, his interests were wider, and he was also fond of literature and art.

Gottfried August Bürger was one of the first representatives of the literary movement of sturm and drang, which sought a more emotional and expressive style in literature. His poems and prose were laced with passion, emotion and natural imagery.

His most famous work was the poetry cycle "Songs of Grief and Bored" (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen), which was published in 1777. In this cycle, he expressed his feelings and emotions, mocking the moral antiquity and social norms of his time.