Friedrich Maximilian von Klinger
The German playwright whose rebellious drama 'Sturm und Drang' accidentally named the entire revolutionary literary movement of his generation.
1752–1831 (age 79)·German dramatist and novelist·Birthday: February 17
Biography
Friedrich Maximilian Klinger lived a life as turbulent and dramatic as the plays he wrote. A friend of the young Goethe in their Frankfurt days, Klinger channeled the restless, passionate spirit of the 1770s into his work. His play 'Sturm und Drang' (Storm and Stress), written when he was just 24, became the unlikely label for an entire epoch of German literature that rejected Enlightenment rationalism in favor of raw emotion and individual genius. Klinger's own path was one of radical reinvention. After initial success in the theater world, he left the arts behind entirely, joining the Russian military. He climbed the ranks in the service of the Tsar, eventually becoming a general and a nobleman, adding 'von' to his name. This second act as a Russian official was a world away from the bohemian circles of his youth, making him a unique figure: a man who literally defined an artistic rebellion before building a conventional life of power and prestige within an empire.
#1 When Friedrich Was Born
The biggest hits of 1752
Friedrich's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1752Born
1757Started school
1765Became a teenager
1768Could drive
1770Could vote
1773Turned 21
1782Turned 30
1792Turned 40
1802Turned 50
1812Turned 60
1822Turned 70
1831Died at 79
Key Achievements
- Authored the play 'Sturm und Drang' (1776), which provided the name for the influential German literary movement.
- Was a central figure in the early Sturm und Drang circle alongside Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Jakob Lenz.
- Served as a high-ranking general in the Imperial Russian Army and held the position of curator for the University of Dorpat.
- Wrote numerous novels and dramas that explored themes of passion, fate, and social conflict.
Did You Know?
He was born into humble circumstances in Frankfurt, the son of a town constable.
Klinger studied law and theology on a scholarship before turning fully to writing.
He spent over 50 years of his life in Russian service, far longer than his time as a active German playwright.
The protagonist of his famous play is named Wild, a fitting symbol for the movement's ethos.
“Let the storm rage! It cleanses the rotten world.”
