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Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim
(April 2, 1719 - February 18, 1803) Germany

Johann Gleim

Poet

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Gleim was born at Ermsleben near Halberstadt. Having studied law at the university of Halle he became secretary to Prince William of Brandenburg-Schwedt at Berlin, where he made the acquaintance of Ewald von Kleist, whose devoted friend he became. When the prince fell at the battle of Prague, Gleim became secretary to Prince Leopold of Dessau; but he soon gave up his position, not being able to bear the roughness of the Old Dessauer.

After residing a few years in Berlin he was appointed, in 1747, secretary of the cathedral chapter at Halberstadt. Father Gleim was the title accorded to him throughout all literary Germany on account of his kind-hearted though inconsiderate and undiscriminating patronage alike of the poets and poetasters of the period. He wrote a large number of feeble imitations of Anacreon, Horace and the minnesingers, a dull didactic poem entitled Halladat oder das rote Buch (1774), and collections of fables and romances.

Of higher merit are his Preussische Kriegslieder von einem Grenadier (1758). These, which were inspired by the campaigns of Frederick II, are often distinguished by genuine feeling and vigorous force of expression. They are also noteworthy as being the first of that long series of noble political songs in which later German literature is so rich. With this exception, Gleim's writings are for the most part tamely commonplace in thought and expression. He died at Halberstadt on February 18, 1803.

Gleim's Sämtliche Werke appeared in 7 volum. in the years 1811 - 1813; a reprint of the Lieder eines Grenadiers was published by A Sauer in 1882. A good selection of Gleim's poetry will be found in Franz Muncker, Anakreontiker und preussisch-patriotische Lyriker (1894). See Wilhelm Körte, Gleims Leben aus seinen Briefen und Schriften (1811).

Of greater relevance, however, are his letters and the historical record of his cultivation of friendship as a way of life. His correspondence with Heinse was published in 2 vols (1894/1896), with Uz (1889), in both cases edited by C Schüddekopf.

As a bachelor with a comfortable salary, the mature Gleim sought out promising young men whom he supported in various ways. Some lived with him in his comfortable Halberstadt home, where he encouraged them in their poetic endeavors; for others he found positions as tutors in private homes. Although there is no evidence of a specific homosexual act, the impression of an overwhelmingly homosocial culture could only be denied by a determined homophobia.

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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - et alii

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