FONTANE, Theodor, German novelist: Neuruppin, Prussia, 30 Dec. 1819; d. Berlin, } Sept. 1898. He was of French Huguenot escent, but few writers have limited them Ayes with such affectionate single-mindedness ) subjects connected with German life. He repared at first for the career of an apothe iry, hoping to take over his father's shop, tit came into contact with literary inen in erlin, who inspired him with a desire to take p a literary occupation. He visited England zveral times (1844, 1852-60) and became inti lately acquainted with the social and political onditions of that country, concerning which c wrote reports for the Prussian government. )n his final return to Germany he became an ditor of the Preussische Zeitung (better nown as the Kreuz-Zeitung; then as now the rgan of the agrarian Junker class) until 1870, :hen he accompanied the troops invading prance and was taken prisoner by the French. 1f ter his return to Germany, he was dramatic ritic for the Vossische Zeitung until 1889. t is particularly interesting to note, in con ection with the last period of Fontane's life, hat it displays a greater and better literary ctivity than his earlier years, and that he re ained a faculty for undersfanding yotmger nen and rejoicing in new literary forms. Thus
to hails with prophetic appreciation the rising iaturalistic school in German novel and drama, and finds himself regarded, perhaps even igainst his will, as a sort of party leader of he younger literary generation, of which Ger tart Hauptmann is the leading spirit (1884-89). Fontane's 'Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg> (1862-81) are a series of travel ;tudies of the province of Brandenburg, Prim ia, in which he displays a thorough sense of andscape, milieu and provincial types, but his nore enduring contribution, is in a few of the iistorical and contemporary novels of realistic endency produced in his later years. 'Grete Minde) and 'Schach von Wuthenow' are psychological romances taken from the history of Brandenburg, while 'Irrungen Wirrungen," Effi B riest, "S tine, " Cecile' represent his most successful stories of modern city and country life, usually of the upper classes, in Germany. His 'Works' (22 vols., Berlin 1905-11), include much autobiographical matter, as well as letters and literary studies. Erich Schmidt's Tharakteristiken) has an au thoritative article on Fontane.