Hermann Kurz

Kurz, Hermann (Reutlingen, 1813-73, Tübingen), who in his teens lost both his parents, attended theological college (Tübinger Stift) from 1831 to 1835, afterwards becoming a curate at Ehningen. In 1836 he gave up his curacy to live by his pen. One of his college friends was L. Uhland, and later he was in close contact also with E. Mörike and G. Schwab. Kurz had little financial success with his writings and was glad in 1863 to accept the position of deputy librarian at Tübingen University, which he occupied until his death.

Kurz published poems (Gedichte, 1836) and was a prolific translator, rendering into German English poetry including Byron, Cervantes, and the Orlando furioso of Ariosto; he also made a modern version of the Tristan of Gottfried von Straßburg. His novels include Schillers Heimatjahre (1843), the central figure of which is not Schiller, but the fictitious Heinrich Roller whose name is taken from Die Räuber, and Der Sonnenwirt (1862). Of his shorter stories, Unter dem Tannenbaum (1856), also known by the title Der Weihnachtsfund, achieved popularity. From 1871 he collaborated with P. Heyse in publishing vols. 1-21 of the Deutscher Novellenschatz. A hitherto unpublished novel, Lisardo, was printed in 1919. Kurz's collected works (Gesammelte Werke) were published in 10 vols. 1874-5, and his complete works (Sämtliche Werke) in 12 vols. in 1904. Isolde Kurz was his daughter.

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