Grimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoffel von

Grimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoffel von (häns yä'kôp kris'tôful fun grim'ulshou"zun) [key], 1625–76, German novelist. Impressed into the Thirty Years War at the age of 10, he educated himself in letters and the law. His Simplicissimus (The Adventuresome Simplicius Simplicissimus; 1669), a picaresque romance, is often called the first German biographical novel. Immediately successful, by virtue of its vigor, humor, and realistic characterizations, it gave rise to numerous “Simpliciades,” many by Grimmelshausen writing under a pseudonym.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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