1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Schücking, Levin

SCHÜCKING, LEVIN (1814–1883), German novelist, was born on the estate of Klemenswerth, near Meppen, in Westphalia, on the 6th of September 1814. After studying law at Munich, Heidelberg and Göttingen, he wished to enter the government judicial service, but, confronted by serious difficulties, abandoned the legal career, and settling at Münster in 1837, devoted himself to literary work. In 1841 he removed to Schloss Meersburg on the Lake of Constance, joined in 1843 the editorial staff of the Allgemeine Zeitung in Augsburg, and in 1845 that of the Kölnische Zeitung in Cologne. In 1852 he retired to his estate, Sassenberg near Münster, and died at Pyrmont on the 31st of August 1883. Among his numerous romances, which are distinguished by good taste and patriotic feeling, largely reflecting the sound, sturdy character of the Westphalians, must be especially mentioned: Ein Schloss am Meer (1843); Ein Sohn des Volkes (1849); Ein Staatsgeheimnis (1854); Verschlungene Wege (1867); Die Herberge der Gerechtigkeit (1879). Schücking wrote a number of short stories: Aus den Tagen der grossen Kaiserin (1858) and Neue Novellen (1877). In Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (q.v.) (1862) he gives a sketch of this poet and acknowledges his indebtedness to her beneficial influence upon his mind. There appeared posthumously, Lebenserinnerungen (1886) and Briefe von Annette von Droste-Hülshoff und Levin Schücking (1893). His wife, Luise (1815–1855), daughter of the General Freiherr von Gall, in the Hessian service, published some novels and romances of considerable merit. Among the latter may be mentioned Gegen den Strom (1851) and Der neue Kreuzritter (1853).

Schücking’s Gesammelte Erzählungen und Novellen appeared in 6 vols. (1859–1866); Ausgewählte Romane (12 vols., 1864; 2nd series, also 12 vols., 1874–1876).