Claudius, Matthias

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Claudius, Matthias

 

(pseudonyms included Asmus and Wandsbecker Bote). Born Aug. 15, 1740, in Reinfeld; died Jan. 21, 1815, in Hamburg. German poet and publicist, close to the Sturm und Drang poets.

Claudius published the newspaper Der Wandsbecker Bote (1771–75), to which such writers as J. W. Goethe and J. G. Herder contributed. Using a popular style, Claudius exposed feudal vices but condemned the Great French Revolution. Claudius’ lyrical songs are permeated by the spirit of folk poetry.

WORKS

Werke des Wandsbecker Boten, vols. 1–2, Schwerin, 1958.

REFERENCE

Albrecht, G. “M. Claudius in seiner Zeit.” In Werke des Wandsbecker Boten, vol. 1. Schwerin, 1958.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.