Wilhelm Busch

Lore & Background

Wilhelm Busch was born on 14 April 1832, the first of seven children to Henriette Kleine Stümpe and Friedrich Wilhelm Busch in Wiedensahl. His maternal grandfather had settled there, and his grandmother kept a shop. After his father took over the shop, Busch's education was entrusted to his maternal uncle, clergyman Georg Kleine, at Ebergötzen, where he studied alongside Erich Bachmann, the son of a miller. This friendship later echoed in the 1865 story Max and Moritz. Busch described himself as sensitive and timid, and was deeply affected by the autumn slaughter of animals, which left him nauseated by pork for life.

Busch began studying mechanical engineering at Hannover Polytechnic in September 1847, but after nearly four years he aspired to study art. He moved to Düsseldorf in June 1851, then to Antwerp in May 1852 to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts under Josephus Laurentius Dyckmans. After suffering typhus in 1853, he abandoned his studies and returned to Wiedensahl. He later moved to Munich, where he made contact with the artist association Jung München and collaborated with Kaspar Braun, publisher of the satirical newspapers Münchener Bilderbogen and Fliegende Blätter. His courtship with Anna Richter ended in 1862.

Reader's Guide

Wilhelm Busch remains one of the most influential poets and artists in Western Europe, often called the 'Forefather of Comics'. His mastery of drawing and verse became deeply influential for future generations of comic artists and vernacular poets. Among many notable influences, The Katzenjammer Kids was inspired by Busch's Max and Moritz. Today, the Wilhelm Busch Prize and the Wilhelm Busch Museum help maintain his legacy. The 175th anniversary of his birth in 2007 was celebrated throughout Germany. His work satirized contemporary life, piety, Catholicism, Philistinism, religious morality, bigotry, and moral uplift, drawing on folk humour and a profound knowledge of German literature and art. During the Nazi era, he was known as an 'ethnic seer'.

Did You Know?

• Busch's maternal grandfather, Johann Georg Kleine, bought the thatched half-timbered house in Wiedensahl where Busch was born.
• Busch's biographers disagree on why his education at Hannover Polytechnic ended; possible causes include his uncle's role, his friendship with an innkeeper, and his reluctance to believe every word of the Bible.
• Busch's collection of folk tales, legends, songs, and rhymes was not published during his lifetime but issued after his death.
• Busch spearheaded the 1862 Fairytale Maskenfest, a fairytale-themed masquerade ball attended by future king Ludwig II.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Wilhelm Busch (15 April 1832 – 9 January 1908) was a German humorist, poet, illustrator, and painter." — Wilhelm Busch "Gott zieht an einer Hand, der Teufel an beiden Beinen." — Wilhelm Busch "God tugs at a hand, the Devil yanks both knees." — Wilhelm Busch "Toleranz ist gut, aber nicht gegenüber den Intoleranten." — Wilhelm Busch