The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Laube, Heinrich

LAUBE, lou'bĕ, Heinrich, German novelist and dramatist: b. Sprottau, Silesia, 18 Sept. 1806; d. Vienna, 1 Aug. 1884. He studied theology at Halle and Breslau, and settled in Leipzig in 1832. He engaged in literary work and an active participation in the movement known as “Das junge Deutschland.” His political essays and a series of novels which scored the existing government got him into difficulties, and he was subjected to police surveillance, while his writings were confiscated. He was expelled from Saxony in 1834 and served a nine months' prison sentence in Berlin. Shortly after his marriage he was again imprisoned for a year because of his political sympathies, and in 1839 he returned to Leipzig and entered upon his career as a dramatist and theatre director. He served in the Frankfort National Assembly in 1848-49, resigning in order to accept an appointment as artistic director in the Hofburg Theatre in Vienna. He was director of the Leipzig Stadtheatre in 1869-70, and in 1872 returned to Vienna as head of the new Stadtheatre there, a position he held until his retirement in 1880. He was a master of stage-craft and his work in this field won him higher rank than either his dramas or novels. His dramas are notable particularly for their adaptability for stage reproduction. He wrote several novels and his memoirs after his retirement from public life. Author of the political essays ‘Das neue Jahrhundert’ (1833); ‘Politische Briefe’ (1833); a three-volume novel, ‘Das junge Europa’ (1833-37); the dramas ‘Monaldeschi’ (1845); ‘Gottsched und Gellert’ (1847); ‘Die Karlsschüler’ (1847); ‘Graf Essex’ (1856); ‘Montrose’ (1859); the novels ‘Der deutsche Krieg’ (9 vols., 1865-66); ‘Die Böhminger’ (1880); ‘Louison’ (1881); ‘Der Schalten-Wilhelm’ (1883); a record of his theatrical work in ‘Das Burgtheater’ (1868); ‘Das norddeutsche Theatre’ (1872); ‘Das weiner Stadtheater’ (1875); and ‘Erinnerungen, 1841, 1881’ (1882). His non-dramatic works were published (16 vols., 1875-82); his dramatic works (13 vols., 1845-75; pop. ed., 10 vols., 1880-92). Consult Proelss, J., ‘Das junge Deutschland’ (1892); Bulthaupt, H., ‘Dramaturgie des Schauspiels’ (Vol. III, 6th ed., 1901).