PRUTZ, Robert Eduard, German poet and historian: b. Stettin, Prussia, 30 May 1816; d. there, 21 June 1872. He was educated at Berlin, Breslau and Halle, and edited, with Arnold Ruge, a radical periodical Hallesche Jahr biicher designed to promote more liberal views in science, politics and religion. His liberal views made him unpopular with the authorities who refused him permission to teach. How ever, in 1849 he became professor of literature at the university at Halle, but in 1859 resigned to devote himself exclusively to science and litera ture. His poetry is of the patriotic order, as are also his dramas; his novels display keen powers of satire, and his researches as a his torian gave him high rank in that field of litera ture. As a public speaker, too, he ranked very high and during the latter part of his life, in spite of poor health, he was in great demand as a public lecturer. He was one of the found ers and editor in 1851-66 of the Deutsches Mu seum. He also edited 'Literarhistorisches Tas chenbuch' (6 vols., Leipzig 1843-44 and Han over 1845-48) ; 'Deutsche Dichter der Gegen wart' (Prague 1859) ; 'Holbergs Ausgewahlte KomOdien) (translated from the Danish, 4 vols., Hildburghausen 1868). Amongst his plays, none of which are of great importance should be mentioned (Moritz von Sachsen); 'Erich, der Bauem Konig); 'Die Politische Wochenstube.' They have been collected as 'Dramatische werke> (4 vols., Leipzig 1847-49). His novels, too, are of secondary importance, the best known, perhaps, being 'Das Engelchen' (3 vols., Leipzig 1851). As a poet he ranks much higher, especi ally in some of his lyrical poems. They in
clude 'Der Rhein) (Leipzig 1840) ; 'Gedichte' (Leipzig 1841) ; 1841) ; 'Gedichte Neue Sammlung) (Zurich 1842) ; 'Aus der Hesmat) (Leipzig 1858) • 'Aus Gold enen Fagen) (Prague 1861) ; (Herbstrosen) (Munich 1864) ; 'Mai 1866' and ( Juli 1866) (Leipzig 1866) ; 'Buch der Liebe) (Leipzig 1869). The most important of his writings, however, consist of his historical and critical works 'Der G6ttingen Dichterbund' (Leipzig 1841) ; 'Geschichte des Deutschen Journalis mus) (unfinished, Hanover 1845) ; (Dramatur gische Blatter) .(Hamburg 1846) ; (Kleine Schroften zur Politik und Litteratur> (2 vols., Merseburg 1847) ; 'Vorlesungen fiber die Ge schichte des Deutschen Theatres' (Berlin 1847) ; 'Vorlesungen fiber die Deutsche Litteratur der Gegenwart> (Leipzig 1847) ; 'Zchn (unfinished, 1840 1850 Geschichte derIleuesten Zeit' (unfinished, 2 vols., Leipzig 1850-57) ; 'Neue Schriften, etc.' (2 vols., Halle 1854) ; (Goethe) (in (Unterhal tende Belehrung,' Vol. XXVII, Leipzig 1856) ; 'Ludwig Holberg Sein Leben und Seine Schrif ten' (Stuttgart 1857) ; 'Deutsche Litteratur der Gegenwart> (2 vols., Leipzig 1859) ; 'Menschen und Bucher) (Leipzig 1867). Consult Anon., 'R. E. Prutz' (in 'Moderne Klassiker,> Vol. XLIV, Cassel 1852) ; Buettner, G., 'Robert Prutz> (in Teutonia Arbeiten zur Germanischen Philologie, part 25, Leipzig 1913) ; Gottschall, R. von, 'Robert Prutz> (in Unsere Zeit, Leip zig 1872) ; Mahly, J., 'R. E. Prutz> (in meine Deutsche Biographie,) Vol. XXVI, Leip zig 1K:).