Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Author Code: GGEL

Educated at Leipzig in theology and medicine, Lessing began to write theatrical comedies while still at school. He worked as a translator for a number of years in Berlin and gained a reputation as an excellent critic. He took his degree in medicine from Wittenburg in 1752. In 1755, he published Miss Sara Sampson (as part of a six-volume collection of his works), probably the first German domestic tragedy. His collection also included Emilia Galotte. From 1760 to 1765, he acted as secretary to the military governor of Breslau and in 1770 took the position as librarian tothe Duke of Brunswick. His best know works include his comedy, Minna von Barnhelm (1767), Laokoon (1766), the Hamburgische Dramaturgie (1767-69) and Nathan der Weise (1779).