Max Waldau
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Max Waldau (21 March 1822 – 20 January 1855) was a German poet and novelist, much better known by this pseudonym (which he always acted under) than by his real name Richard Georg Spiller von Hauenschild, .
[edit] Life
Born in Breslau, Lower Silesia, Max Waldau lost his father early on in life, was educated in several boarding schools, and started studying law at Breslau University. Later, he took up philosophy, philology, and history at Heidelberg University, where he received a doctorate. Waldau traveled for an extended period of time in Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Italy, though, after the failed German revolution of 1848-49, he retired to his estate of Tscheidt, near Baborów, Upper Silesia, then in Germany, now in Poland.
Waldau started publishing poetry and prose in 1847; his compositions, while well written, lacked emotion and excitement. But, his friendship with Leopold Schefer, an older and more prestigious poet, resulted in Schefer releasing two series of beautiful poems, written in his youth, anonymously to the public; Waldau edited these collections, Hafis in Hellas and Koran der Liebe, in Hamburg 1853 resp. 1855.
Unexpectedly, Waldau died at the age of 33 at Tscheidt on 20 January 1855.
[edit] Publications
- 1847: Ein Elfenmärchen (fairy tale)
- 1847: Blätter im Winde (poetry)
- 1848: Kanzonen (poetry)
- 1850: Aus der Junkerwelt (novel)
- 1851: Nach der Natur. Lebende Bilder aus der Zeit (prose)
- 1852: Aimiry, der Jongleur (novel)
- 1854: Cordula. Graubündner Sage
- 1855: Rahab. Frauenbild aus der Bibel
