The world famous German poet Heinrich Heine. His biography is filled with many travels and revelry. However, the fate of the poet was not easy. Many of his works during his lifetime did not receive recognition, and Henry's financial situation and health in recent years have been very deplorable. Despite the difficult conditions, he continued to create. Today, people around the world love such a poet as Heinrich Heine. His biography and creativity will be considered in our article.
Origin, childhood
The future poet was born in Dusseldorf on December 13, 1797. Heinrich Heine spent his childhood here. The biography of his young years is connected with Dusseldorf. Samson Heine, his father, was a merchant in the manufacture. Betty, the mother of the boy (her portrait is presented below), was an enlightened woman at that time. She was fond of the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Betty showed great concern for raising her child. This woman did not cause any doubt the great future of Henry. At the same time, she had a very definite idea of who her son might become. He could choose the career of a general or become a financial genius. The legal profession was another option.
Henry was growing up, and now he entered the Lyceum. In a local Catholic lyceum, Heine developed a love of worship, distinguished by pomp and solemnity. She did not leave the whole life of such a poet as Heine. Henry's biography and work prove this.
Communication with Simon Geldern and Zefhen
At this time, he began to communicate closely with Simon Geldern, an uncle on the mother's side. He noted that the boy has a pronounced tendency to humanitarian subjects. Simon Geldern gradually began to acquaint Henry with the works of world literature. The boy read the creations of Cervantes, Swift and other authors.
At the age of 15, the future poet met Zephhen, a simple peasant girl. He immediately became friends with her. This girl often told various beliefs and legends that existed among the people, which complemented the literary education received by Heine. It is possible that Henry's interest in folklore was awakened precisely thanks to her. Subsequently, this was reflected in the poetic masterpieces included in many collections of Heine.
Political situation: how Heinrich Heine took it
A brief biography and the work of this poet are closely related to the political situation of those years. Young Heine was infected with patriotism during the war with the French. However, it cooled very quickly after the victory over Napoleon was won by reaction. With the advent of the Prussians in the Rhine province, the former feudal bureaucratic orders reigned again. Equality of Jews with all other religious groups, proclaimed by Napoleon, was destroyed. All these events in political life left a big mark in the spiritual formation of Heine, as well as in his work. The poet grew up in the Rhine province, which was considered the foremost part of Germany in relation to industry. Henry's parents, who dreamed that their son would become a general in Napoleon’s army, after the defeat of Bonaparte began to think about the career of a merchant, despite the fact that the future poet did not show much hope in this regard.
Moving to Frankfurt, life in Hamburg
Samson Heine went in 1815 with his son to Frankfurt. He wanted to get him to the grocery store as a clerk. However, Henry did not last long in the suffocating atmosphere of trade. After a while, he escaped. This very upset his mother, although she did not cease to believe that her son had a great financial future. The woman decided to send him to the care of Solomon Heine, another uncle of Heinrich, who lived in Hamburg and was a financial tycoon. This man took a lively part in the young nephew. Henry came to his uncle in July 1816. And in 1818 he was already the head of his office under the name "G. Heine and Co.".
Love and its reflection in verses created by Heinrich Heine
Biography, a summary of the works and interesting facts about the poet give us some idea of his personal life. It is known that in Hamburg our hero proved himself not only in the financial sphere. He came close to Amalia, the daughter of Solomon. This girl inspired him to write a number of poems, which were later included in the "Book of Songs", published in 1827 (her first edition is presented below).
However, the love of Amalia was not mutual. After 3 years, the girl married Friedlander, a prominent merchant. Heine found it very difficult to combat the despair that gripped him after Amalia's failure. He abandoned his commercial venture, which promised a lot of hopes.
Heine's poetic works of this period, as well as his letters, the main theme of which was the unhappy love of Amalia, are imbued with a "romance of horror" and a gloomy mood. They contain motives of sinister dreams, a double, love-death, etc., characteristic of the period of late romanticism.
Studying at Bonn and Gottingen Universities
After some time, Henry entered the University of Bonn, at the Faculty of Law. This happened largely under the influence of Betty, his mother. In his student years, Heinrich attended lectures, and also participated in the ugly revels that undermined his already poor health. The young man became interested in literature. August Schlegel taught her history course at this university. It was he who instilled in young Heine a taste for Byron, Shakespeare and the East. However, Heine did not stay long at the University of Bonn.
October 4, 1820 he became a student of another educational institution - the University of Gottingen. However, in him he could only last 14 months. A duel with a classmate (or rather, her attempt) caused the exclusion of Heine. She was arranged for some minor reason.
Continuing education at the University of Berlin
Heinrich Heine in late February 1821 continued his education at the University of Berlin. Here he leads a social life. Heinrich visits various literary salons, makes acquaintances with many German writers. In the same year, Henry begins to sell his poetic works to newspapers. However, Heine’s poems are not noticed by either readers or critics. Nevertheless, the press of Berlin publishes the works "The Ballad of the Moor", "Terrible Night", "Minnesingers" and others.
Tragedies and the first collection of poems
It was at this time that the news came to him that Amalia Heine had married. This became the reason that the poet began to participate in a variety of orgies and revelry. With all his strength, he tried to get rid of the longing that gripped him. Nevertheless, he constantly created new poetic works. The first publications of his creations date back to the same time. After some time, the tragedies “Ratcliffe”, “Almanzor”, as well as a collection of poems called “Lyrical Intermezzo” appear in print. Thanks to this collection, published in 1823, Heine is gaining fame in literary circles.
Political Views, Relocation to Cuxhaven
In the same year, the political worldview of Henry was finally formed. The authorities of Prussia take away many political rights from the Jews. Heine begins to actively protest against the monarchical regime.
Heine's new poems were met with severe criticism by critics. She saw in the works of the young poet dissatisfaction with the existing world order. Heine, in a deplorable state of mind, began to dream of leaving for Arabia. However, in reality, he went to Kuksgaven, a small resort town. Here he tried to at least slightly improve his health.
New wanderings
Heinrich Heine left for Hamburg a little later. Biography, interesting facts and new works of this period will be briefly presented by us. On the way, the poet visits his family in Luneburg. However, his mood remains very gloomy. Leaving Hamburg, he leaves for Berlin, and then, in January 1824, travels to Göttingen.
After waiting for the end of the holidays, in September 1824 the poet made a trip to the Harz. He wants to go all over Thuringia. Heinrich Heine visits Weimar. Here he meets IV Goethe, about which he had long dreamed. Unfortunately, communication with him was limited only to this one meeting. No longer saw Goethe G. Heine. His biography, however, is marked by friendship with many famous writers and artists. Heinrich will meet many of them a little later.
Completion of studies at the institute, new works
Heine in the spring of 1825 with great difficulty passes the final exams at his university. He becomes a third-level doctor of law. Immediately after this, our hero accepts Lutheranism. Already in Hamburg, he meets 1826. The first volume of Traveling Pictures is published here, as well as a series of poems entitled Homecoming and the first part of the North Sea cycle. A little later, the second volume of Traveling Pictures also appears. Among the critics and in the press, he aroused a very sharp controversy. It turned out that Heine's style is characterized by bold liberty. The poet decided that it would be better for some time to leave Hamburg. He goes to London. However, Henry returns quite quickly in order to publish the "Book of Songs". An attempt was made in it to unite all previously created poetic works.
Working in a newspaper, traveling around Italy
Heine in 1827 offered to become editor of the newspaper Political Annals, published in Munich. For six months, the poet settles in this city. Then he goes on a trip to Italy. In this country, he finds news of the death of Samson Heine in Hamburg. Returning from Italy, Henry publishes the third volume of Traveling Pictures.
Moving to Paris, continued creative activity
The revolution in Paris takes place in July 1830. Henry is striving there with all his heart. His creative activity is already gaining great momentum by this time. After a new masterpiece of the poet, the book "New Spring" was published in May 1831, Heine moved to Paris. In the French capital, he meets with such artists as Berlioz, Rossini, Chopin, Liszt, Humboldt. He publishes his works in two languages: in German and in French.
His following works were published in Paris: Florentine Nights, Towards the History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany, and the Romantic School. They provoked attacks of both censorship and criticism. Heine's circle of acquaintances in the French capital, however, is steadily expanding. Friends of Henry are T. Gauthier, A. Dumas Sr., A. de Vigny, O. Thierry, J. Sand and others.
Acquaintance with Matilda Mira and Rothschild
In 1835, an important event took place in the personal life of Heine. His biography was noted by his acquaintance with his future wife Matilda Mira (pictured above). However, he entered into a legal marriage with her only in 1841. Using the connections of Solomon, his uncle, Henry met Rothschild around the same time. The latter infected the poet with a passion for stock speculation. Heine studied in his free time from literary work, but did not really succeed.
A difficult period in Heine’s life
In 1838, the financial situation of the poet became disastrous. He had to accept the allowance of the French government, which was paid to emigrants, because Henry was in Paris in that capacity. In addition, Heine had to conclude a bonded contract with Julius Campé, a French publisher. According to its conditions, the publisher was granted exclusive rights to the works of Henry for 11 years. The subsidy from Solomon, his uncle, to some extent improved Heine's position. His biography would probably have developed differently if not for the influence and help of this person. Solomon did not stop caring for his talented nephew. Material adversity and intense creative activity led to the fact that Henry's health rapidly deteriorated. He began to see worse, moved with great difficulty, but did not stop working. The poem "Atta-Troll" appeared in 1842. In 1844, Heine's collection "New Poems", as well as a poem that gained great fame, "Germany. A Winter's Tale", was released.
Last walk in Paris
News of the demise of Solomon Heine soon arrived from Hamburg. The biography summarized by us from this point on becomes truly tragic. Despite ardent assurances, Solomon left only 8 thousand francs to his nephew. This greatly undermined the already poor health of Henry. In May 1848, after drinking a hefty dose of opium in order to ease the pain that tormented him, Heine last walked around Paris. Returning home, he no longer left his home. Here, in a forced confinement, the poet was often visited by A. Dumas, Beranger, T. Gauthier and J. de Nerval.
last years of life
In 1851, he created his third and last book of poems under the title "Romansero" by Heinrich Heine. His biography at that time was also marked by the continuation of work on the Memoirs, begun back in 1840. About a year before the death of Henry, Camille Selden, a big fan of his work, visited. She managed to arouse the last passion in the soul of a dying poet. Camille, like Matilda, the wife of Heine, did not leave him until the poet's death. Henry died on February 17, 1856. His remains are in the Montmartre cemetery. Theophile Gauthier and Alexander Dumas were among those who accompanied the poet on his last journey.
Today, many are interested in such a poet as Heinrich Heine, a biography. We briefly talked about his life and career. To continue dating, we recommend referring to his poems. After all, it was in them that the personality of such a poet as Heinrich Heine was fully reflected. The biography briefly described by us gives only the most general ideas about this author’s inner world. Meanwhile, he is certainly very rich. Indeed, it is not for nothing that Heine’s biography in Russian is of interest to our compatriots, despite the fact that many great poets and writers were born in our country.