Lauff, Joseph von (ennobled 1913)

writer

born: 16.11.1855 in Cologne

died: 20.08.1933 in Cochem

Lauff entered military service in 1877, was appointed first lieutenant in 1886 and captain in 1890.

From 1887-97 he wrote numerous heroic epics, novels and dramas. His tragedy "Ines de Castro" premiered in Cologne in 1894. In the same year, together with director Georg von Hülsen, he wrote a festival play for the inauguration of the new Wiesbaden Court Theater on 16.10.1894, during which he met Kaiser Wilhelm II in person. The latter commissioned him to write a Hohenzollern tetralogy. Its first part, the drama "Der Burggraf", opened the Kaiserfestspiele in 1897. He wrote another Hohenzollern play, "Der Eisenzahn", for the Kaiserfestspiele in 1899 and revised the text of Carl Maria von Weber's opera "Oberon" for the then famous new production in Wiesbaden. His dedication play "Gotberga" was performed at the inauguration of the Kurhaus on 12.05.1907.

With his promotion to major, Lauff was discharged from military service in the fall of 1898 and personally appointed dramaturge of the Royal Theatre in Wiesbaden by Kaiser Wilhelm II. Lauff was regarded as a court poet and dependent Hohenzollern poet, he wrote numerous local novels, as well as war songs and reports during the First World War. He received many awards, including military honors.

His critics included Fedor Mamroth (1851-1907) and Karl Kraus (1874-1936), who called him "Major Lauff of the poetic artillery" and probably the "most unsuccessful Hohenzollern dramatist". Mamroth criticized Lauff's dramas in the radical-democratic "Frankfurter Zeitung", particularly "Eisenzahn". He accused him of trying to earn "court thanks" by using and distorting historical material in order to celebrate "reasons of state".

Lauff lived in Wiesbaden from 1898 onwards, and after Georg von Hülsen left and gave up his position as dramaturge, he also lived in Sehl near Cochem for a time. Lauff received the title of nobility in 1913. Wilhelm II remained on friendly terms with him until his death. Lauff also visited the ex-emperor in exile in the Netherlands after 1919.