!!!Lenau, Nikolaus eigentlich N. Franz Niembsch Edler von Strehlenau

b. Csatád, Rumania (then Lenauheim), Aug. 13, 1802, 
d. Vienna, Aug. 22, 1850, poet, wrote epic verse. From 1819 studied 
law, medicine, philosophy and agriculture in Vienna. His friends 
included F.  Grillparzer, F.  Raimund, A.  Gruen, being a good 
violinist also acquainted with J.  Strauss the Elder and with J.  
Lanner. 1831 went to Heidelberg, then Stuttgart, where his first 
volume "Gedichte" (1832) was published, including the 
Schilflieder ballads. 1832 went to the United States but came back 
after only one year deeply disappointed and lived alternately in 
Swabia (Germany) and in Austria. He spent the last 6 years of his life 
in a psychiatric ward. L.'s work is characterized by melancholy and 
weltschmerz; like Lord Byron, he led a restless life and several 
engagements were broken off. His drama "Faust" (1835) shows 
autobiographical features and is an epic sequence in which the hero 
finally commits suicide. In his later epic poetry 
"Savonarola" (1837), "Johannes Žižka" 
(1838/42) and "Die Albigenser" (1842) turned to 
historical-revolutionary topics. His dramatic poem "Don 
Juan" (1844) remained unfinished. New type of expressive language 
in his nature poems; important political poems. "Faust" and "Don Juan" 
inspired F.  Liszt, H. Berlioz und R.  Strauss. His journey to America 
inspired F.  Kuernberger to write his novel "Der Amerika-Muede". 1964 
the Ministry for Education established an International N. Lenau Prize 
(since 1965 the Austrian State Prize for European Literature).

\\
Further __publications:__ Neuere Gedichte, 1838; Waldlieder, 1843. - 
Editions: Krit. Ausgabe seiner Dichtungen und Briefe, ed. by E. 
Castle, 6 vols., 1910-1913 and 1923; Saemtl. Werke und Briefe, 2 
vols., ed. by W. Dietze, 1970; Werke und Briefe, historical-critical 
edition by H. Brandt et al., 1989ff.

!Literature
J. Turóczi-Trostler, N. L., 1961; C. Gibson, 
L., 1989; N. O. Eke and K. J. Skrodzki, L.-Chronik, 1992; 
G. Heinecke (ed.), N. L. heute gelesen, 2000; NDB.



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