Literature: 1912

Hauptmann, Gerhart, pronounced HOWPT mahn, GAYR hahrt (1862-1946), a German dramatist, won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1912. Hauptmann's early plays are outstanding examples of Naturalistic literature. These early works attempt objectively to portray suffering people whose existence is determined by their environment and by heredity.

Hauptmann was born on Nov. 15, 1862, in Silesia, then part of eastern Germany. He used this region's dialect in many of his plays. Hauptmann gained acclaim for his Naturalistic plays Before Sunrise (1889) and The Weavers (1893). The Weavers, his best-known play, describes the plight of exploited Silesian weavers and their revolt against their employers. His other works include the comedies The Beaver Coat (1893) and The Rats (1910). He also wrote historical and mythological dramas, plays based on fairy tales, poetry, and prose fiction. He died on June 6, 1946.

Contributor: Walther L. Hahn, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of German, University of Oregon.