Author

Felix Dahn

German lawyer, writer and historian (1834–1912)

Born: February 9, 1834, Hamburg
Died: January 3, 1912, Wrocław
Nationality: Hamburg
Occupation: Writer, jurist, poet, historian and university teacher

Life and work

Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn (9 February 1834 – 3 January 1912) was a German law professor and nationalist author, poet and historian.

Biography

Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn was born in Hamburg as the oldest son of Friedrich (1811–1889) and Constanze Dahn who were notable actors at the city's theatre. The family had both German and French roots. Dahn began his studies in law and philosophy at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (he had moved there with his parents in 1834), and graduated as Doctor of Laws at the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin. After his habilitation treatise, Dahn became a lecturer of German Law at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in 1857. In 1863, he became senior lecturer/associate professor at the University of Würzburg and received a professorship at the University of Königsberg in 1872.

Dahn was married to the artist Sophie Fries (1835–1898), with whom he had a son. He tutored baroness Therese von Droste-Hülshoff, a relative of the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, in poetry from 1867 and entered an illicit love affair with her, which he gave a literary treatment in his Sind Götter? (1874). He divorced his wife and married Therese, against opposition from both families, in 1873.

Dahn relocated to University of Breslau in 1888, again as a full professor, and was elected rector of the university in 1895. As rector, he enforced a ban on Polish student associations.