Adelbert von Chamisso

Date of Birth: January 30, 1781

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: August 21, 1838

Biography

Adelbert von Chamisso, born Louis Charles Adélaïde de Chamissot, was a German poet, botanist, and naturalist, whose life and work spanned the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born into an aristocratic French family on January 30, 1781, in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, Chamisso’s early life was marked by the chaos of the French Revolution. His family fled to Germany in 1790 to escape the political turmoil, and he eventually became a naturalized German citizen. Chamisso initially pursued a military career in Prussia, serving as an officer, but he found his true calling in literature and science. He is best known for his novella “Peter Schlemihl’s Remarkable Story” (1814), a fantastical tale about a man who sells his shadow to the devil. The work was widely acclaimed and remains a classic of German Romantic literature. In addition to his literary achievements, Chamisso made significant contributions to botany. He accompanied the Russian explorer Otto von Kotzebue on a scientific expedition around the world from 1815 to 1818. During this voyage, Chamisso collected numerous plant specimens and made important observations about the flora and fauna of the regions they visited. Chamisso spent his later years working as a curator at the Botanical Garden in Berlin and continued to write poetry and scientific papers. He passed away on August 21, 1838, in Berlin, leaving behind a rich legacy in both literature and science.

5 Interesting Facts about Adelbert von Chamisso

1. Adelbert von Chamisso’s family fled to Germany to escape the French Revolution when he was just nine years old.

2. He wrote “Peter Schlemihl’s Remarkable Story,” a novella about a man who sells his shadow, which became a timeless classic in German literature.

3. Chamisso was a member of the Russian scientific expedition led by Otto von Kotzebue and circumnavigated the globe from 1815 to 1818.

4. He made significant contributions to botany, discovering and cataloging numerous plant species, some of which bear his name today.

5. Chamisso was deeply interested in linguistics and made valuable contributions to the study of the Hawaiian language during his travels.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Adelbert von Chamisso

1. “The greatest happiness one can have is knowing that one does not necessarily require happiness.”

2. “We are all pilgrims who seek Italy.”

3. “One cannot step twice in the same river, for the water into which you first stepped has flowed on.”

4. “He who has two cakes of bread, let him sell one of them for some flowers of the narcissus, for bread is food for the body, but narcissus is food for the soul.”

5. “A poet is a man who is glad of something and tries to express it.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

While precise historical net worth figures are difficult to ascertain, Adelbert von Chamisso’s wealth primarily came from his aristocratic background and his work as a curator. His contributions to both literature and science were more significant than his financial achievements.