This volume presents a colourful and entertaining overview of German intellectual history by a central figure in its development. Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), famous poet, journalist, and political exile, studied with Hegel and was personally acquainted with the leading figures of the most important generation of German writers and philosophers. In his groundbreaking History he discusses the history of religion, philosophy, and literature in Germany up to his time, seen through his own highly opinionated, politically aware, philosophically astute, and always ironic perspective. This work, and other writings focussing especially on Heine's rethinking of Hegel's philosophy, are presented here in a new translation by Howard Pollack-Milgate. The volume also includes an introduction by Terry Pinkard which examines Heine both in relation to Hegel and Nietzsche and as a thinker in his own right.
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was a German poet, writer, and literary critic, born on December 13, 1797, in D sseldorf, Germany. He is widely recognized for his early lyric poetry, which gained significant popularity when set to music by composers like Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Heine s works blended romanticism with social and political critique, and his writings remain influential in German literature. He was deeply influenced by major figures such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Lord Byron, which shaped his distinctive voice. Heine's works often reflected a tension between the idealized and the harsh realities of life. His personal life included his marriage to Crescence Eug nie Mirat in 1841, though his later years were spent in Paris, where he died on February 17, 1856, at the age of 58. Heine s family included siblings Gustav Heine von Geldern, Maximilian Meyer Heine, and Charlotte Heine, and his parents were Peira van Geldern and Samson Heine. His lasting legacy lies in his influence on German poetry and his contributions to the cultural landscape of 19th-century Europe.
