Gottfried August Bürger

Biography

Gottfried August Bürger (31 December 1747 – 8 June 1794) was a German poet. His ballads were very popular in Germany. Bürger is also known for German translations of Baron Munchausen’s narrative of his marvelous travels and campaigns in Russia by Rudolf Erich Raspe. In his introduction to the 1788 German edition, Bürger admitted to adapting and elaborating the original English-language works, and, despite his clear notice that he was doing a translation, for some time Bürger was believed to be the author of the tales. Raspe had originally concealed his authorship.