LUDWIG, looevDc, Otto, German drama tist and writer of short stories: b. Eisfeld, ThUringen, 12 Feb. 1813; d. Dresden, 25 Feb. 1865. His father, Ernst Friedrich Ludwig (d. 20 Jan. 1825), was a well-known Central German wrist; his mother's maiden name was Sophie Christiane Otto (d. 21 Nov. 1831). He attended the gymnasium at Hildburghausen (1828-29), as well as that of Saalfeld (1832 33), made an unsuccessful attempt to enter business with his uncle, Christian Otto (whom he later called "der dicke Herr"— the stout gentleman), and obtained his higher education chiefly by self-instruction, laying the founda tions for a very extensive musical culture. The scene of his studies was mostly a pretty little garden and lodge, belonging to him, just out side the city of Eisfeld, where his friend Karl Schaller was his constant companion. One of the results of his musical studies was the opera 'Die Kahlerin> (performed privately at Eis feld 1838), in recognition of the merits of which the Meiningen conductor, Grund, had an annual pension of 300 gulden conferred on Lud wig for three years. In 1839 Ludwig went to Leipzig to pursue his musical studies, chiefly under the direction of Mendelssohn. Illness and a shifting of his interest to literary studies, prevented the successful prosecution of a musi cal career. In 1840, Ludwig published his first short story, 'Das Hausgesinde,> which shows distinct traces of the influence of Kotzebue's and Lortzing's After a return to Eisfeld in 1840, he was sent back to Leipzig, with a fresh supply of money, in 1842. His literary production was now increas ing. Before moving to Dresden, in 1843, he had begun a tragedy, 'Der Engel von Augs burg> ; a comedy, 'Hans Frei' • a prelude, 'Die Torgauer Haide' ; and two short stories. He passed the summers of 1844 and 1845 very pleasantly at Niedergarsebach near Meissen (became engaged there to Emilie Winkler, 1844; married her, 1852). The winters of the succeeding years, until 1847, when, at Devrient's wish, he settled finally at Dresden, were spent M Leipzig. At Dresden he became one of a literary and artistic circle that included Karl Gutzkow, Langer, Oehme, Ludwig Richter, etc. It was here that he produced his most famous work, the tragedy 'Der (first performance, Dresden, 4 March 1850). This tragedy deals with the sad fate of a simple man who believes that since he and his ancestors, have always occupied a certain office, the of fice has in a way become his property, and whd is disastrously disillusioned when he finds that the mere authority of his employer, who owns the forest on which he is employed, is suffi cient to throw him out of his life-position. The
coloring is local, that of the Thuringian forest; the appeal is universal, in that it reveals the economic dependence of every man on him who holds the purse-strings. In 1852 came another great play, 'Die Maccabier) (first perform ance, Vienna, 1 Nov. 1852), of which there had been an earlier version, called 'Die Macca baerin,> a family tragedy in four acts, while the revised version had five. These two trage dies are considered by German critics as plac ing Ludwig almost on the same level with Hebbel (q.v.) : they have great pith and vigor of speech and a tense, dramatic action. Lud wig is almost equally well known, however, for his short stories: 'Die Heiterethei und ihr Widerspiel) (written 1854, published at Frank fort 1857) and Himmel und Erde> (written 1855, published Frankfort 1856). Un fortunately for his own productiveness, Ludwig then turned to exhaustive studies of Shake speare, which were so engrossing as to cripple entirely any creative impulses of his own. They were edited by Heydrich (Leipzig 1871; 2d ed., Berlin 1902). Physical illness gained upon him more and more and he finally found none of his plans capable of maturing in his hands. His friendly intercourse with Auerbach, Julian Schmidt and Lewinsky helped to soften the hardships of his declining years. Although he produced little that was great or even com plete, there is an impressive spirituality about his sufferings as well as a grandeur in his tire less strife to attain the highest pinnacles of art. The 'German Classics> (Vol. IX, New York 1914) contains translations' of 'The Hereditary Forester) and 'Between Heaven and Earth.) Consult his (Ausgewahlte Werke> (2 vols., Leipzig 1896) ; 'Werke> (3 vols., Leipzig 1896) ; 'Werke> (6 vols., Leipzig 1900); (Werke,' with biography by Adolf Stern (6 Vols., Leipzig, n. d.); (Sammtliche Werke> (10 vols., ed. by Merker, Munich 1912, unfinished). Consult also Treitschke, H. von, 'Otto Ludwig) (Leipzig 1871); Schmidt, Julian, 'Otto Ludwig) (in Westermanns Mo m:risk:fie, Vol. X'X XV) essay by Bulthaupt in Dramaturgie des Schauspiels (Vol. IV, Olden burg 1894). .