Adolph von Knigge

Adolph Freiherr von Knigge (1752–1796) was a German writer and Enlightenment thinker. He studied law and administration in Göttingen and subsequently held court positions in Kassel and Hanau. He later worked as an independent writer, reviewer, and translator. His activities also included involvement with Freemasonry and the Illuminati. His best-known work, “Über den Umgang mit Menschen” (1788), is often misunderstood as a manual of etiquette. Knigge actually conceived it as an Enlightenment treatise on more harmonious relations between different social and professional groups. He also wrote novels, satires, plays, and essays. Knigge was born in Bredenbeck near Hanover and died in Bremen.