August von Kotzebue
A wildly popular German playwright whose sensational dramas dominated European stages but whose political writings led to his assassination.
1761–1819 (age 58)·German dramatist and writer·Birthday: May 3
Biography
August von Kotzebue penned over 200 plays—melodramas, comedies, and historical pieces—that were translated and performed across Europe and America. He overshadowed even Goethe and Schiller in sheer popularity. Born in Weimar, he found early favor in the Russian court, serving as a diplomat and historian for the Tsar. His political writings mocked the rising German nationalist and liberal student movements, making him powerful enemies. In 1819, a radical student stabbed him to death. That act triggered the repressive Carlsbad Decrees. His complicated legacy includes being both a master entertainer and a political martyr of the reactionary cause.
#1 When August Was Born
The biggest hits of 1761
August's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1761Born
1766Started school
1774Became a teenager
1777Could drive
1779Could vote
1782Turned 21
1791Turned 30
1801Turned 40
1811Turned 50
1819Died at 58
Key Achievements
- Authored more than 200 plays, making him one of the most performed dramatists in Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
- Served as a Russian state councillor and director of the German theatre in Saint Petersburg.
- His assassination directly led to the implementation of the Carlsbad Decrees, which suppressed liberal and nationalist movements in the German Confederation.
Did You Know?
Beethoven composed the music 'The Ruins of Athens' for a Kotzebue play.
He was the father of 18 children from his three marriages.
The explorer Otto von Kotzebue was his son.
“The public is a beast that must be humored, not provoked.”
