Gustav zu Putlitz
Gustav Heinrich Gans Edler Herr zu Putlitz was a German author.
Biography
He was born at Retzin near Perleberg in West Prignitz, of the noble Gans zu Putlitz family. He studied law at Berlin and Heidelberg, and was attached to the provincial government at Magdeburg from 1846 to 1848. In 1853 he married Gräfin Elisabeth von Königsmark granddaughter of Wilhelmine, Gräfin von Lichtenau, and lived on his estate.In 1863, he became director of the Court Theatre at Schwerin. This post he left in 1867, was for a short time chamberlain to the crown prince of Prussia, afterwards the Emperor Frederick III, and from 1873 to 1889 successfully directed the Court theatre at Karlsruhe. He died at Retzien.
Works
Putlitz made his debut as a writer with a volume of romantic fairy stories in verse, Was sich der Wald erzählt, which attained great popularity and found many imitators.He was most successful in his comedies, notably Badekuren, much read in the schools of the United States; Das Herz vergessen, also much read in U.S. schools; and Spielt nicht mit dem Feuer!. These portrayed life among the upper classes. Two notable dramas are Das Testament des Grossen Kurfürsten and Rolf Berndt.
Of his novels, Die Alpenbraut and Walpurgis are distinguished by refined terseness of style and delicacy of portraiture. Also notable are Vergissmeinnicht, Brandenburgher Geschichten, Novellen, and Funken unter der Asche.