Freiherr von Ludwig Achim Arnim

Born in Berlin on January 26, 1781, Achim von Arnim was a German poet and novelist from a Prussian noble family. He became one of the key figures of German Romanticism, remembered especially for the way he drew on traditional songs, legends, and popular storytelling.

While studying, he turned from science toward literature, and his friendship with Clemens Brentano became especially important. Together they compiled Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a landmark collection of German folk poetry that had a lasting influence on literature and music.

Arnim also wrote novels, tales, and plays, and he married the writer Bettina Brentano in 1811. He died on January 21, 1831, at Wiepersdorf in Brandenburg, leaving behind work that helped shape the Romantic fascination with folklore, memory, and national tradition.