KUMMER, Friedrich, German literary his torian and dramatist: b. Dresden, 30 March 1865. His family was cultivated and artistic, particularly in the field of music. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native city, and at the universities of Leipzig, Tubingen and Berlin, where his studies were chiefly in philosophy, aesthetics and modern languages. His doctoral dissertation was on Schiller's 'Demetrius' (1889). His literary activity be gan at Berlin (1890-94), but since 1894 he has lived at Dresden, becoming a member of the staff of the journal Dresdeiter Anzeiger, in 1897. His principal work is in the field of 19th century German literature, 'Deutsche Literaturgeschichte des 19 Jahrhunderts' (1st ed., 1908, numerous reprints since), in which Kummer for the first time introduces into the study of literature the conception of the writer's generation as the dominant factor in his work. He divides the history of German literature in the 19th century into five generations, culmi nating, respectively, about 1820, 1835, 1850, 1871 and 1889 (the latter date indicating the rise of the naturalistic movement), and outlines the predominating causes of the attitude of each generation, together with a spirited and interest mg elaboration of the contribution of each writer to the work of his specific generation.
The book immediately produced a profound effect on students of literary history, as it led them to see the value of a social rather than a merely individual treatment of literary merit, and earned for Kummer the title of "Pro conferred upon him the same year (1908). Kurruner underestimates the material factors in literary history and exaggerates the factors of race (thus he attempts an explana tion of the various groups of German writers on the basis of their origin from different German tribes, and their birth in different parts of the country), but the book has a perma nent value as well as a sensational appeal. His dramas are 'Tarquin> (tragedy, 1889); Weitmosero (historical, 1892) ; 'El (modern, 1892).