The Brothers Grimm: Life, Works and Influence

Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (04.01.1785 - 20.09.1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (24.02.1786 - 16.12.1859) were born in Hanau, Hessen.
Brothers Grimm
They came from an bourgeois family: their father was a lawyer, their mother came from a respected family.
They lost their father early, which worsened the family's financial situation. Despite economic hardship, their mother supported the brothers' school and university education.
Jacob and Wilhelm were five out of nine children, but several siblings died young.
Their strong family bond shaped the brothers throughout their lives – they lived and worked together until Wilhelm Grimm's death.
In this house in Steinau, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm lived from 1791 to 1796.
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The Brothers Grimm were regarded as eminent linguists of the 19th century. Their research focused mainly on the German language, its history and structure.
Jacob Grimm wrote the "German Grammar" (1819–1837), systematically outlining the historical evolution of German.
Together, in 1838, they started the monumental "German Dictionary", still one of the most significant works in German studies – a project only completed decades after their deaths.
They developed the "Grimm's Sound Shift," a fundamental theory on the phonetic development of Germanic languages.
Their scientific approaches were based on meticulousness, comprehensive source research, and deep interest in everyday life and oral tradition.
"The vitality of a language is revealed in the diversity of its words." – (Jacob Grimm, Introduction DWB)
Wilhelm Grimm and Jacob Grimm, 1847
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The "Children's and Household Tales" were first published in 1812/1815. Jacob and Wilhelm gathered stories from their Hessian surroundings, family members, acquaintances, and literary sources. They selected over 200 tales, including Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, and Snow White. Their aim was to preserve German cultural heritage and scientifically document folk tales.
Over the years, they artistically edited the texts to make them linguistically and morally suitable for children and families.
The Grimm fairy tales continue to influence literature, art, and education worldwide. They have been translated into over 170 languages and are UNESCO Memory of the World.
Quote: "Oh, how good that nobody knows that my name is Rumpelstiltskin."* (Rumpelstiltskin, No. 55)
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The Brothers Grimm lived during a time of sweeping social and political change: from the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars to the Vormärz era and the failed Revolution of 1848.
Their scientific and literary work was marked by the quest for national identity and cultural self-determination, as demanded by many intellectuals of Romanticism.
As members of the "Göttingen Seven," they protested the repeal of the constitution in the Kingdom of Hanover, demonstrating their political stance.
Censorship, loss of positions, and repressions made their work harder, but also reinforced their desire to preserve German culture and language.
The need to secure traditions and values is reflected both in their linguistics and their fairy tale collection.
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Influence on Literature:
The Grimm brothers’ fairy tales shape generations of writers, filmmakers and artists. Adaptations are found in ballet, opera, film (e.g. Walt Disney) and the fine arts.
Pop Culture:
Figures such as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White or the Wolf appear in advertisements, comics, video games and music. Numerous concepts and motifs are now part of everyday language.
Education & Science:
The "German Dictionary" remains a standard reference in German studies. Their fairy tales are an important part of school curricula worldwide.
Tabular Overview:

Field	Examples
Literature	Basic reading in schools, new fairy tale adaptations
Film & Television	Disney films, TV series like "Grimm", documentaries
Language	Dictionary, idioms "Grimm’s Fairy Tales"
World Heritage	Fairy tale collection listed in the UNESCO register

The work of the Brothers Grimm is inseparably linked with cultural identity, education, and openness to the world. Their legacy continues to live on.
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