Wilhelm Grimm

Born in Hanau on February 24, 1786, Wilhelm Grimm became a German writer, philologist, and folklorist whose life and work were closely linked with those of his older brother, Jacob. Together they studied law, turned toward old literature and language, and built the partnership that would make the Brothers Grimm famous.

Wilhelm played a major part in collecting, editing, and shaping the tales published in Kinder- und Hausmärchen, known in English as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The collection helped popularize stories such as "Cinderella," "Hansel and Gretel," and "Rapunzel," but his interests went well beyond fairy tales: he also worked on German legends, medieval literature, and language scholarship.

He later taught in Göttingen and, after political upheaval there, moved to Berlin, where he continued his research. Wilhelm Grimm died in Berlin on December 16, 1859, leaving behind a body of work that helped preserve European folk tradition while also advancing the study of German language and literature.