Heinrich Heine

Heinrich Heine (1797–1856), born Harry Heine in Düsseldorf, was a German poet, writer, and journalist. He studied law in Bonn, Berlin, and Göttingen and received a doctorate in law in 1825, the year he converted to Protestantism. He moved to Paris in 1831 after his liberal and politically engaged journalism met with opposition and censorship in Germany. Heine is regarded as both a major representative and a critical successor of Romanticism. His best-known works include the “Book of Songs,” the “Travel Pictures,” “Germany. A Winter’s Tale,” and “Romanzero.” His poetry, essays, travel writing, and journalism have been widely translated and set to music.