Georg Büchner holds a unique place in the German-speaking literary scene of the 19th century and beyond. When he died at age 23, he had been active as a revolutionary in his homeland of Hesse and forced to flee into exile, first in France and later in Switzerland. The author of two acclaimed scientific texts, he had received a doctorate from Zurich University, where he embarked on a prestigious academic career shortly before his death. He left behind three dramas and a narrative text, also a large corpus of philosophical writings predominantly on Descartes and Spinoza: perceptive critiques of early Rationalist thought. His poetic oeuvre by far eclipsed in its originality most of the contemporary literary production. Although the receptio

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First published 22 January 2003

Citation: Knapp, Gerhard P.. "Georg Büchner". The Literary Encyclopedia. 22 January 2003.
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5188, accessed 9 February 2010.]