Ludwig Laistner
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Laistner was a German novelist, mythologist, and literary historian.
He was born in Esslingen am Neckar
. He studied theology in Tübingen
from 1863 to 1867 and was a pastor for two years before heart trouble obliged him to resign. He took instead a position as a private tutor in Munich, where he joined Die Krokodile
and worked with Paul Heyse on the Neuen deutschen Novellenschatz, a compilation of short stories. From 1880 he devoted himself entirely to literature, eventually becoming the literary advisor of the Cotta publishing house.
He wrote historical novels and poems, and Das Rätsel der Sphinx (1889), a book on mythology
from an Idealist perspective which argued that dream
s and nightmare
s were the ultimate source of many famous myths. The book was highly praised by Rudolf Steiner
and was a direct predecessor of psychoanalytic
interpretation. He was a translator of medieval student songs such as those of the Carmina Burana
, and wrote book reviews for Allgemeine Zeitung
. His last efforts (1893–96) were on a new edition of the works of Goethe. He died in Stuttgart
.
He was born in Esslingen am Neckar
Esslingen am Neckar
Esslingen am Neckar is a city in the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany, capital of the District of Esslingen as well as the largest city in the district....
. He studied theology in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
from 1863 to 1867 and was a pastor for two years before heart trouble obliged him to resign. He took instead a position as a private tutor in Munich, where he joined Die Krokodile
Die Krokodile
Die Krokodile was a small poets' society in Munich which existed from 1856 to the 1870s.- Background and beginnings :King Ludwig I had constructed the Glyptothek and the Pinakothek to house art collections. Part of his intention was to attract intellectual luminaries to Munich, with little result...
and worked with Paul Heyse on the Neuen deutschen Novellenschatz, a compilation of short stories. From 1880 he devoted himself entirely to literature, eventually becoming the literary advisor of the Cotta publishing house.
He wrote historical novels and poems, and Das Rätsel der Sphinx (1889), a book on mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
from an Idealist perspective which argued that dream
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
s and nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
s were the ultimate source of many famous myths. The book was highly praised by Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
and was a direct predecessor of psychoanalytic
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
interpretation. He was a translator of medieval student songs such as those of the Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana , Latin for "Songs from Beuern" , is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces were written principally in Medieval Latin; a few in Middle High German, and some with traces...
, and wrote book reviews for Allgemeine Zeitung
Allgemeine Zeitung
The Allgemeine Zeitung was in the first part of the 19th century the leading political daily journal in Germany. It has been widely recognised as the first world class German journal and is a symbol of the German press abroad....
. His last efforts (1893–96) were on a new edition of the works of Goethe. He died in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
.
Works
- Barbarossas Brautwerber, epic poem (Stuttgart 1875)
- Nebelsagen (Stuttgart 1879)
- Golias, translations of medieval student songs (Stuttgart 1879)
- Novellen aus alter Zeit (Berlin 1882)
- Der Archetypus der Nibelungen (Munich 1887)
- Das Rätsel der Sphinx (Berlin 1889)