ARNIM, LUDWIG ACHIM (JOACHIM) VON (1781-1831), German poet and novelist, was born in Berlin on June 26 1781, and died at Dahme, Prussia, on Jan. 21 1831.
From the earlier writings of Goethe and Herder he learned to appreciate German legends and folk-songs. He published a col lection of these (1806—o8), in collaboration with Klemens Brentano (q.v.) under the title Des Knaben Wunderjiorn. Arnim's best work is to be found in the short stories Furst Ganzgott and Sanger Halbgott and Der tolle Invalide auf dent Fort Ratonneau and the unfinished romance Die Kronenwachter (1817), which promised to develop into one of the finest historical romances of the 19th century.
Samtliche Werke were edited by his widow and published in Berlin in 1839-40 with an introduction by Wilhelm Grimm; second edition in 22 vols., 1853-56. Selections have been edited by J. Dohmke M. Koch, Arnim, Klemens and Bettina Brentano, Gorres (1893) . Des Knaben Wunderhorn has been frequently republished, the best edition being that of A. Birlinger and W. Crecelius (2 vols., 1872-76). See R. Steig, Achim von Arnim and Klemens Brentano