Die Juden (Großdruck)

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Gotthold Ephraim, born in 1729 in Kamenz, studied theology and philosophy in Leipzig. At eighteen, he published his first poems and stories, influenced by Molière and Voltaire. In Berlin, he wrote critiques for the Berlinische Privilegierte Zeitung and began crafting dramas. After earning his Magister in Philosophy, he engaged in Berlin's literary scene, befriending Friedrich Nicolai, Moses Mendelssohn, and Ewald von Kleist. In 1755, he published "Miß Sara Sampson," the first German bourgeois tragedy. Elected to the Prussian Academy of Sciences, he became dramaturg at the Hamburg National Theatre in 1767 after recovering from a serious illness, later publishing the "Hamburgische Dramaturgie." From 1770 to 1781, he served as the duke's librarian in Wolfenbüttel and joined the Hamburg Masonic Lodge in 1771. His 1779 work, "Nathan der Weise," became a cornerstone of Enlightenment literature, advocating for tolerance and humanity. Lessing passed away in 1781 in Braunschweig, just two years before the premiere of "Nathan." This edition features a revised text and a biography of the author, presented in a reader-friendly format.