David Kalisch was a German playwright and humorist.

Early life

His infancy and early childhood were spent in a home of comfort and culture; but when he was only seven years old his father died, leaving the family without any means of support, and Kalisch was compelled to add to the family resources by entering the employment of a dealer in small wares, who later on entrusted him with the management of a branch establishment in Ratibor

Ratibor

Ratibor is a Slavic origin male name containing words: "raci/rati" - "war, fight" and "bor" - "fight, warrior" and may refer to:*The German name of Racibórz, Poland*Ratibor...

. In 1843 he returned to Breslau, and in Oct., 1844, went to Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, where he gradually became on terms of intimacy with a group of poets and socialists that included Heine

Heine

Heine is a German family name. The name comes from "Heinrich" or the Hebrew "Chayyim" . When mentioned without a first name it usually refers ti the poet Heinrich Heine...

, Herwegh, Karl Grün

Karl Grün

Karl Grün , also known by his alias Ernst von der Haide, was a German journalist, political theorist and socialist politician. He played a prominent role in radical political movements leading up to the Revolution of 1848 and participated in the revolution...

, Proudhon, Karl Marx

Karl Marx

Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...

, and Albert Wolff

Albert Wolff

Albert Wolff was a French conductor and composer of Dutch descent. Most of his career was spent in European venues, with the exception of two years that he spent as a conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and a few years in Buenos Aires during the Second World War...

. He made at Leipsic his first attempts as a farce writer with his "Die Proletarier" and "Auf der Eisenbahn".

Early career

Kalisch was still bound to a mercantile career, however, as neither literature nor the stage had yet made a place for him; and so in 1846 he found his way to Berlin and took another position as salesman. He found time to continue his literary efforts by writing a number of the peculiar verses which, under the name of "Couplets", were first employed by him, and which he afterward utilized with great success in his stage pieces. He also tried his hand at adaptation from the French, the little farce "Ein Billet von Jenny Lind

Jenny Lind

Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...

" being produced at the summer theater at Schönberg

Schönberg

- Germany :*Schönberg, Lower Bavaria, a town in the district of Freyung-Grafenau in Bavaria*Schönberg, Upper Bavaria, a town in the district of Mühldorf in Bavaria*Schönberg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, district Nordwestmecklenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...

, near Berlin; the principal result of this was that it secured for him an invitation to write for the Königsstädter Theater, where his "Herr Karoline" was produced, and later (Dec. 23, 1847) his "Einmal Hunderttausend Thaler," which at once achieved a veritable triumph. There followed in quick succession. "Berlin bei Nacht," "Junger Zunder, Alter Plunder," "Aurora im Oel", "Münchhausen

Münchhausen (1943 film)

Münchhausen is a 1943 fantasy comedy film directed by Josef von Báky, a prominent director who remained in Germany under the Nazi regime. Despite being made in Nazi Germany, this film is noted for the way in which it was able to avoid the politics of the time...

", "Peschke" ,"Ein Gebildeter Hausknecht," "Der Aktienbudiker," "Berlin, Wie es Weint und Lacht," "Einer von Unsere Leut," "Berlin Wird Weltstadt," "Die Berliner in Wien," "Der Goldonkel," and "Musikalische Unterhaltung."

Success

Very soon he practically dominated the German farce stage of his time. At the old Wallner Theater in Berlin and in the great comedy houses throughout Germany there were years when none but his pieces were produced, some of them having runs of hundreds of performances. Nor was it in Germany alone that his plays became famous, for by adaptation and translation they were produced throughout the world. A collection of his celebrated "Couplets" was produced under the title "Berliner Leierkasten" (3 vols., Berlin, 1857; 5th ed., 1862; new series, 1863 and 1866), while a number of his farces were issued as "Berliner Volksbühne" (4 vols., ib. 1864) and "Lustige Werke" (3 parts, ib. 1870).

Kladderadatsch

Just as Kalisch was entering upon the successful phase of his dramatic career he made another fortunate bid for fame by establishing (1848) the celebrated humorous sheet, "Kladderadatsch," the publication of which was suggested during his work on the little paper issued by and for the members of the "Rütli," a club composed of humorists. The wellknown "Müller und Schulze" couple, which have become proverbial among Germans throughout the world, and "Karlchen Miessnick" are among the best of his contributions to the "Kladderadatsch." In its early history he had many strange experiences, as its editor. He was prosecuted; the paper was prohibited; several times he had to fly to Leipsic

Leipsic

Leipsic is the old English spelling for the German city of Leipzig.Leipsic may refer to:-Places:In Germany:* LeipzigIn the United States:* Leipsic, Delaware* Leipsic, Indiana* Leipsic, Ohio* West Leipsic, Ohio...

, Dessau

Dessau

Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...

, or Neustadt

Neustadt

- Germany :* in Baden-Württemberg:** Titisee-Neustadt, a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald* in Bavaria:** Bad Neustadt an der Saale, the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district...

, and yet it survived. Later he shared the editorial work with Ernest Dohm. In 1852 he embraced Christianity

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

in order that he might marry a woman of that faith.

Plays and literary works

• Ein Billet für Jenny Lind (1847)
• Einmal hunderttausend Thaler (1847/50)
• Berliner auf Wache (1848)
• Berlin bei Nacht (1849)
• Junger Zunder - Alter Plunder (1850)
• Berliner Volksbühne (1850-52)
• Die Bummler von Berlin (1854)
• Der Aktienbudiker (1856)
• Berliner Leierkasten (1858-1866)
• Der gebildete Hausknecht (1858)
• Berlin, wie es weint und lacht (1858)
• Die Mottenburger (1867)