Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johannes Gutenberg, Hermann Hesse and Hildegard von Bingen

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in 1749 on August 28 in Frankfurt, Germany, and died in 1832 on March 22 in Weimar, Germany. Goethe was 82 at his time of death and he lived in Modern Times. Goethe was a German poet, writer, scientist, theatre manager, critic, and an amateur artist. He is considered the greatest German literary figure of modern times.

Goethe was born in a large house in Frankfurt, Germany. As Goethe was growing up he was home schooled. His father and his private tutors gave him lessons all the common subjects of their time, especially the languages. He was taught many languages such as, Latin, Greek, French, Italian, English, and Hebrew. Goethe also got lessons in dancing, riding, and fencing because his dad wanted to give him the experiences that he did not have as a child growing up.

Goethe studied law in Leipzig Germany. He disliked learning old legal rules by heart, instead he went to the poetry lessons of Christian Furchtegott Gellert. When he was in Leipzig he fell in love with a girl named Anna. In 1770, he secretly released his first collection of poems, which was named Annette. Goethe left Leipzig and went back to Frankfurt to finish his law education. When Goethe was in Frankfurt he wrote his first book which was named The Sorrows of Young Werther. This book made Goethe very famous.

In 1775 Goethe moved to Weimar where he became the Duke’s chief advisor. In 1792 he helped the Duke in the invasion of France which failed.

Goethe was a very good writer and a very good poet. He traveled all around Germany to make a name for himself and write poems. Most of Goethe’s poems were made into music in later years by famous composers.

Johannes Gutenberg

Johannes Gutenberg was born in 1395 in Mainz Germany and died in 1468 on February 3. Gutenberg was 70 at his time of death and he lived in the Middle Ages. Gutenberg was a German blacksmith, printer and a publisher that introduced printing to Europe. Gutenberg invented mechanical movable type printing also known as the printing press. Not much is known about Gutenberg’s early life.

Gutenberg started to work on the printing press in 1440.