Career
Bretschneider led a bohemian life, served in the army, and held various political posts. Later he was bibliothecary at Lemberg. He was closely linked to the writers of the enlightenment, especially Friedrich Nicolai.
Bretschneider composed, besides satirical writings, Almanach der Heiligen auf das Jahr, 1788, Wallers Leben und Sitten, and the comic epic, Graf Esau.