Gustav Heinrich Gans Edler Herr zu Putlitz (20 March 1821 – 5 September 1890) was a German author.

Biography

He was born at Retzin near

Perleberg Perleberg (; North Brandenburgisch dialect, Margravian: ''Perlberg'') is the capital of the district of Prignitz, located in the northwest of the Germany, German state of Brandenburg. The town received German town law, city rights in 1239 and as of ...

in West

Prignitz Prignitz () is a ''Kreis'' (district) in northwestern Brandenburg, in northeastern Germany. Neighboring districts, clockwise from the north, are Ludwigslust-Parchim (in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Ostprignitz-Ruppin (Brandenburg), Stendal (dist ...

, of the noble Gans zu Putlitz family. He studied law at

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

and

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...

, and was attached to the provincial government at

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

from 1846 to 1848. In 1853 he married

Gräfin (; feminine: ) is a historical title of the German nobility and later also of the Russian nobility, usually translated as "count". Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as equivalent to the British title ...

Elisabeth von Königsmark, and lived on his estate. In 1863, he became director of the Court Theatre at

Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch Low German: ''Swerin''; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Zwierzyn''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germ ...

. This post he left in 1867, was for a short time chamberlain to the crown prince of

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

, afterwards the Emperor Frederick III, and from 1873 to 1889 successfully directed the Court theatre at

Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...

. He died at Retzien.

Works

Putlitz made his debut as a writer with a volume of romantic fairy stories in verse, ''Was sich der Wald erzählt'' (Tales told among the woods; 1850), which attained great popularity (fifty editions) and found many imitators. He was most successful in his comedies, notably ''Badekuren'' (Spa cures; 1859), much read in the schools of the United States; ''Das Herz vergessen'' (Forgetting the heart; 1853), also much read in U.S. schools; and ''Spielt nicht mit dem Feuer!'' (Don't play with fire!; 1887). These portrayed life among the

upper classes Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status. Usually, these are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper cla ...

. Two notable dramas are ''Das Testament des Grossen Kurfürsten'' (1858) and ''Rolf Berndt'' (1881). Of his novels, ''Die Alpenbraut'' (Bride of the Alps; 1870) and ''Walpurgis'' (1870) are distinguished by refined terseness of style and delicacy of portraiture. Also notable are ''Vergissmeinnicht'' (Forget me not; 1851), ''Brandenburgher Geschichten'' (Brandenburg Tales; 1862), ''Novellen'' (1863), and ''Funken unter der Asche'' (Sparks under the ashes; 1871).

Editions

A selection of his works, ''Ausgewählte Werke'', was published in six volumes in Berlin (1872–1877), and a supplementary volume in 1888; his comedies, ''Lustspiele'', appeared in two series of four volumes each (1851–1860 and 1869–1872).

Notes

References

* * Attribution: * This work in turn cites Elisabeth zu Putlitz, ''Gustav zu Putlitz, Ein Lebensbild aus Briefen'' (Gustav zu Putlitz, a life sketch from letters; 3 vols., Berlin, 1894–1895).

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Putlitz, Gustav zu 1821 births 1890 deaths Edlers of Germany Members of the Prussian House of Lords Writers from the Province of Brandenburg Heidelberg University alumni Humboldt University of Berlin alumni German male poets German male novelists German male dramatists and playwrights 19th-century German poets 19th-century German novelists 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights 19th-century German male writers de:Gans zu Putlitz#Karlsruhe: Gustav zu Putlitz