Grimm brothers
Also called: Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · Topic: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 1 "The Rise of Nationalism in Europe"; Class 10, Ch 5 "Print Culture and the Modern World"
Meaning
The Grimm brothers were Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), two scholars from Germany. They collected old German folktales, the stories that ordinary people told by word of mouth. They believed these tales carried the true spirit of the German people. They also saw French domination as a threat to German culture. Their work belongs to German Romanticism, a movement that built national feeling through a shared culture.
Example
In 1812 the Grimms published their first collection of folktales. They also worked on a German dictionary that grew to 33 volumes. Both projects tried to bring together a common German language and culture at a time when there was still no united German state.
Don't confuse with
- Johann Gottfried Herder: Herder gave the idea that true German culture lay with the common people (das volk). The Grimms did the practical work of collecting the tales and the words.
Related concepts
- July Revolution
- Greek War of Independence
- Romanticism
- Johann Gottfried Herder
- Volksgeist
- Ethnic nationalism
- Partition of Poland