August Kopisch
A Silesian-born Romantic polymath who painted dramatic landscapes, penned whimsical verse, and famously brought the legend of the Kobolds of the Kyffhäuser to popular attention.
1799–1853 (age 54)·German poet and painter·Birthday: May 26
Biography
August Kopisch was a 19th-century creative whirlwind, a man who refused to be pinned down to a single discipline. Born in Breslau, he lived a life of artistic and physical exploration. A serious fall in his youth left him with a lifelong limp, but it did nothing to curb his restless spirit. He studied painting in Prague and Dresden, eventually settling in Italy where the dazzling light and ancient ruins deeply influenced his art. His paintings, often dramatic landscapes and architectural studies, captured the Romantic era's awe of nature. Yet his pen was as active as his brush. He wrote poetry that ranged from the humorously folk-inspired to the nationally resonant. His most enduring contribution to German folklore might be his popularization of the Kyffhäuser legend, which he published after a trip to the region, helping to cement the myth of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa sleeping in a mountain. Kopisch moved in elite circles, counting the king of Prussia among his patrons, and his work bridged the worlds of visual art, literature, and national myth-making.
#1 When August Was Born
The biggest hits of 1799
August's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1799Born
1804Started school
1812Became a teenager
1815Could drive
1817Could vote
1820Turned 21
1829Turned 30
1839Turned 40
1849Turned 50
1853Died at 54
Key Achievements
- Wrote 'Die Heinzelmännchen zu Köln' (The Kobolds of Cologne), a famous poem that popularized the folk tale across Germany.
- Was a respected landscape and history painter, with works held in collections like the National Gallery in Berlin.
- Published the account 'Die Königshöhle im Kyffhäuser' which significantly revived and spread the legend of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.
- Translated Dante's 'Divine Comedy' into German alongside his own original poetic works.
Did You Know?
He was also an inventor and is credited with designing an early prototype for a lifebelt.
He discovered the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri in 1826, along with his friend Ernst Fries, and later wrote about it.
A street in the Berlin district of Prenzlauer Berg is named 'Kopischstraße' after him.
He worked as a curator for the royal art collections of King Frederick William IV of Prussia.
“The sea is a strange, green element, and I painted its caves of light.”
