LILIENCRON, DETLEV VON German poet and novelist, was born at Kiel on June 3, 1844. He entered the army and took part in the campaigns of i866 and 187o-71, in both of which he was wounded. He retired with the rank of cap tain, and spent some time in America. On his return (1882) he entered the civil administration at Kellinghusen in Holstein, where he remained till 1887. After some time at Munich, he settled in Altona and then at Altrahistedt, near Hamburg, where he died on July 22, 1909. He first attracted attention by the volume of poems Adjutantenritte and andere Gedichte (1883), which was fol lowed by several dramas, a volume of short stories, Eine Sommer schlacht (1886), and a novel, Breide Hummelsbuttel (1887). In the collections of short stories which appeared under the titles Unter flatternden Fahnen (1888), Der Macen (1889) and Krieg and Frieden (1891), he gave powerful, realistic studies of war. Liliencron is one of the greatest of modern German lyric poets; his Adjutantenritte, with its fresh original note, broke with the well-worn literary conventions which had been handed down from the middle of the century. His other volumes of lyrics were Der
Heidegdnger (1893), Neue Gedichte (1893), Bunte Beute (1903), and the posthumous Gate Nacht (1909). To this poetical work should be added the humorous epic in Ottava rime, Poggfred (1896; re-written and extended 1904). Liliencron's genius was essentially lyric. He has many exquisite lines, and many perfect stanzas, but few perfect long pieces. In much of his work the influence of the quiet landscape of Holstein, its wide plains and its grey coast-line is evident.