VARNHAGEN VON ENSE, fun KARL AtmusT (1785-1858). A German author. He was born in Dusseldorf, and after studying medicine at Berlin and philosophy at Ilalle, Berlin, and Tu bingen, and helping (1803) to edit Chamisso's Nusenalmanack, he entered the Austrian Army (1809), and was wounded at \Vagram. He joined the Russian Army in 1813, the Prussian diplomatic service (1814). accompanied Chancellor Ilardenberg to the Congress of Vienna, and (1815) became Minister at Karlsruhe. After 1819 Varnhagen devoted himself chiefly to litera ture. although he continued to take a keen inter est in political affairs, and was from time to time active in diplomatic matters. his first work was an account of experiences in the war of 1813, Geschichte der hamburger Ereignisse, followed by the Gesellichtc den Kricgsziise 'Pet tenborns (1814). In the Sallie year he married Rahel Levin (1771-1833), a Jewess of great in tellect. who exercised a remarkable influence upon his subsequent career. At Berlin the Varn hagens became a rallying point for men distin guished in science, art, and letters, and theirs was the most important German salon. Varn
hagen wrote stories (1815), poems (1816), a re markable character sketch of Goethe (Goethe is den. Zeugnissen der Ilitlebenden, 1824), and. be tween 1824 and 1830. five volmues of similar Biographisrhe Donk male. In 1833 Ralmel died, and in 1834 Varuhagen published a memorial of her in three volumes, follower] (1836) by two • volumes of a Gale?* ion Bildnissen aus Rahels Umgang, and (1843-46) by seven volumes of Denkmiirdigkeiten. Varnbagen's style, modeled on that of Goethe, is remarkable for elegance and precision. His reminiscences are of permanent historical value. Be died in Berlin. October I0, 1858, and left fourteen volumes of Tageblicher (1861-70). two volumes of Dothwiirdigkeiten (1859), a volume of studies in Prussian history, /clatter ails der preussisehen Gesehichte (IS6S), and a volume of Biographisehe Portriite (1871). Letters to him from A. von Humboldt were pub lished (Leipzig, IS60). There is an edition of selected 11 orIs (19 vols., Leipzig, 1S71-77).