HAUFF, WILHELM (1802-1827), German poet and novelist, was born at Stuttgart on Nov. 29, 1802, and educated at the Klosterschule at Blaubeuren, and the university of Tubingen. For the children of 'the Wurttemberg minister of war, von Hugel, to whom he acted as tutor, he wrote his Marchen, which he pub lished in his Mdrchenalmanach oaf das Jahr 1826. To the same period belong his Mitteilungen aus den Memoiren des Satan (1826) and Der Mann im Monde (1825). The latter, a parody of the novels of H. Clauren (pseudonym of K. G. S. Heun) was published under Clauren's name, and Hauff was mulcted in damages. Nevertheless he went on to write a Kontroverspredigt iiber H. Clauren and den Mann im Monde (1826). His historical romance Lichtenstein (1826), treating of the reign of duke Ulrich of Swabia, was one of the early imitations of Walter Scott. His other works include the charming Bettlerin vom Pont des Arts; Phantasien im Bremer Ratskeller (1827) ; and some short poems which have passed into Volkslieder, among them Morgenrot, Morgenrot, leuchtest mir zum friihen Tod; and Stela' ich in finstrer Mitternacht. Hauff died prematurely on Nov. 18, 1827. The freshness and originality of Hauff's talent, his inventiveness and his genial humour have made him a minor classic.
See his Sdmtliche Werke, ed. G. Schwab (3 vols., 1830-34; 5 vols., i8th ed., 1882) ; ed. F. Bobertag (1891-97) ; and a selection by M. Mendheim (3 vols., 1891) . These and later editions contain biographi cal material.