Theodor Fontane was born on the 30th of December 1819 in Neuruppin (Germany) near Berlin, the son of a drugstore-owner. After learning pharmacy and working in a drugstore he quit his job to become a freelance journalist in Berlin. He was able to finance his living costs with this job, was later promoted to a Dr.phil. at the university of Berlin and died in this city on the 20th of September 1898. Theodor Fontane is one of the best known authors of the literary "poetical realism" in Germany. He wrote stories that should be realistic, true to life, but also poetic. Among his most famous works are "Effi Briest", the ultimate story of a fatal affair, and "Der Stechlin".

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Theodor Fontane

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