HEINRICH VON KLEIST
Heinrich von Kleist brings German literary history into Würzburg, where his mysterious visit remains connected to the city’s cultural past. You can place him among the writers linked with this historic Bavarian city.
Born in 1777, he entered the army in 1792 before leaving military service in 1799. He then studied briefly at Frankfurt an der Oder and devoted himself to writing. Between 1801 and 1811, he produced plays, stories, essays, and journalistic work while travelling frequently and struggling with money. His dramas include Amphitryon, The Broken Jug, Penthesilea, and Prince Frederick of Homburg. His stories Michael Kohlhaas and The Earthquake in Chile confront violence, uncertainty, and the fragile balance between order and chaos. Penthesilea appeared in 1808, while The Broken Jug reached the stage in Weimar that year without lasting success. Kleist also published two volumes of stories in 1810 and 1811, building a reputation that survived his troubled life.
His connection with Würzburg stays elusive because little is known about what he did during the visit.
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