Background
Kurd Lasswitz was born on April 20, 1848, in Breslau, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland). He was the son of an entrepreneur and a politician.
Wroclaw, Poland
Kurd Lasswitz studied mathematics and physics at the University of Wroclaw.
Berlin, Germany
Kurd Lasswitz studied mathematics and physics at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Wroclaw, Poland
Kurd Lasswitz studied mathematics and physics at the University of Wroclaw.
Berlin, Germany
Kurd Lasswitz studied mathematics and physics at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
(German Edition)
German Edition
https://www.amazon.com/Bilder-Zukunft-German-Kurd-Lasswitz/dp/3956106237/?tag=2022091-20
1878
(Kurd Lasswitz’s 1897 utopian novel describes man’s first ...)
Kurd Lasswitz’s 1897 utopian novel describes man’s first encounter with beings of higher intelligence from another planet, the inhabitants of Mars. Physically differing little from man, but intellectually, ethically, scientifically, and socially far advanced, the Martians seek to educate man, whom they encounter at the North Pole, where they seek air and energy to supplement the diminished supplies in their own, older world. The encounter is seen through the eyes of several characters, both Martian and human, and the action is drawn together by the love affair between a beautiful Martian girl and a man from the earth exploring party.
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Planets-Kurd-Lasswitz/dp/0809305089/?tag=2022091-20
1897
Kurd Lasswitz was born on April 20, 1848, in Breslau, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland). He was the son of an entrepreneur and a politician.
Kurd Lasswitz studied mathematics and physics at the University of Breslau and the University of Berlin, and received his doctorate in 1873.
Kurd Lasswitz worked as a professor of philosophy at the Gymnasium Ernestinum in Gotha from 1876 to 1908. His background in science and academia eventually led him to write fiction which combines humor, metaphysics, physics, math, and philosophy. He wrote extensively from the end of the 1860s up to his death in 1910, often under the pseudonyms Jeremias Heiter or L. Velatus.
Besides scientific and philosophical publications, Lasswitz wrote stories that would today be considered science fiction or fantasy but were called fairy tales by his contemporaries for want of a better term. The term may be justified since narrative devices such as the interruption of dreams into the stories "reality" are reminiscent of fairy tales written during the Romantic period such as E.T.A. Floffinann's "The Golden Pot."
Lasswitz's stories often present scientific topics in a speculative, yet sophisticated manner. He earned the reputation of being the "Father of German Science Fiction" from his futuristic novel, Auf zwei Planeten (Two Planets, 1897). As in H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds, Two Planets describes an encounter between humans and aliens from the planet Mars. But unlike Wells, who portrays his aliens as anatomically different from humans and very hostile, Lasswitz gives an idealistic portrayal of humanoids that are not only ethically and socially superior, but also much more technologically advanced. Lasswitz hoped the progress of social development would parallel that of Intelligence, and he felt that humans might gain much from encounters with advanced species.
In his short story "Die Fernschule" ("The Distance Learning School," 1902), Lagwitz depicts a futuristic school one hundred years ahead of his time. The tale is narrated in the third person and begins with a college prep teacher returning home from school. Worn out by a strenuous day, he reflects on how the daily commute is exhausting and comments on the outdated traditional format of teaching. He wonders if a future wherein students are responsible participants in the education process, teachers are technology wizards, and the teaching load is manageable - every teacher's dream! - is achievable. As he dozes off and dreams, his idealistic musings morph into a depiction of a future where students are still making excuses, cheating, and behaving irresponsibly. Plus, the teachers' workload continues to be overwhelming, despite the use of high-tech educational methods and gadgetry. Lasswitz was surprisingly insightful on how technology might affect education in the future (for example, he describes teachers interacting with students via live "picture frames" on the wall). However, he couples those positive ideas with the ironic prediction that, no matter what, human nature will always remain much the same. He died on October 17, 1910.
Some short stories, translated by Willy Ley, were published after his death in "Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction", including "When the Devil Took the Professor," January, 1953, "Aladdin’s Lamp," May, 1953, and "Psychotomy," July, 1954. The short story "The Universal Library" appeared in "Fantasia Mathematica" by Clifton Fadiman, 1958. Lasswitz was also author of the short stories "Against the Law of the World: A Story of the Year 3877" (1878), and "Apoikis."
Kurd Lasswitz was known for his biography of Gustav Fechner. The Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis was established in his honor and was awarded for German-speaking and foreign authors of science fiction since 1981. Lasswitz influenced many writers of the expressionist period (such as lyricist Georg Heym), and his writings gained popularity with a larger audience starting in the late 1920s. Unfortunately, his humanistic and pacifist ideas along with his expressionist writing style raised the hackles of the Nazi regime, so his popularity was short-lived. An upsurge of science fiction movies and writing in the late 1960s and 1970s renewed interest in Lasswitz's sci-fi stories and led to reprints of his works.
(Kurd Lasswitz’s 1897 utopian novel describes man’s first ...)
1897(German Edition)
1878Kurd Lasswitz's views on space and time were influenced by Immanuel Kant and Gustav Fechner.
