Michael Kohlhaas is an 1811 novella by Heinrich von Kleist. 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A novella is a short, narrative, prose fiction work. ... Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (October 18, 1777 - November 21, 1811) was a German poet, dramatist and novelist. ...

The protagonist Michael Kohlhaas of Brandenburg is driven to a rampage by a German noble's mistreatment of his horse and refuses to desist until the horse is nursed back to health. Kohlhaas's wife is fatally wounded while attemping to deliver a letter to officials. This drives him to begin a rampage of burning down German noble's castles. Martin Luther attempts to talk Kohlhaas down. Surrounding but excluding the national capital Berlin, Brandenburg is one of Germanys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states). ... Jump to: navigation, search Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The Horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus. ... Jump to: navigation, search Luther at age 46 (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529) The Luther seal Martin Luther (November 10, 1483–February 18, 1546) was a German theologian, an Augustinian monk, and an ecclesiastical reformer whose teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran...

The story was influential on E. L. Doctorow's 1975 novel "Ragtime", which uses similar plot elements and has a protagonist named "Coalhouse Walker". Jump to: navigation, search E.L. Doctorow, photograph by Jill Krementz, from back cover of Doctorows 1975 novel Ragtime Edgar Lawrence Doctorow (born January 6, 1931, New York, New York) is the author of several critically acclaimed novels that blend history and social criticism. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Ragtime is a 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow. ...

Background

The historical background of Michael Kohlhaas dates back to the 16th century. Kohlhaas wanted to launch a military campaign to right wrongs he suffered at the hands of authorities. Kleist turned this story into a play in which he dramatized the confrontation between the ideal world and reality. Kohlhaas sees himself as a victim of this dichotomy, which to some extent still exits. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

Political background

In Prussia around 1800 defeats in conflicts with Napoleon as well as domestic squabbles regarding the approach of German nobility to Napoleon caused considerable political unrest. Jump to: navigation, search The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia (German: Preußen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad... 1800 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Jump to: navigation, search The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the Windows of the Lodge of the Heralds. ...

Kleist clearly opposed France and his position was determined by the necessity for reform. He expressed his position about justice vis a vis requirements of the political system in the person of Kolhaas, thus avoiding being suspected himself of political agitation.

Content

The Brandenburg horse dealer Michael Kohlhaas is leading a team of horses in the direction of Saxony when an official of Squire Wenzel von Tronka detains him, claiming that he does not have proper transit papers. The official demands that Kohlhaas leave two horses as tribute.

In Dresden (Saxony) Kohlhaas discovers that this tribute was totally abitrary, and proceeds to demand return of his horses. When he arrives at the castle of Squire Wenzel he discovers that the horses have been suffered from working in the fields and his hired man, who protested against the mistreatment of the horses, has been beaten.

Kohlhaas sues the Squire for the cost of medical treatment of his hired man and for rehabilitation of his horses. After one year he finds that the suit was turned down through political influence of the Squire's relatives.

Kohhaas persists in demanding his rights. In spite of support of a friendly politician and personal engagement of his wife (who is struck down by a guard in her attempt to deliver a petition to the Governor of Saxony and later dies of her injuries), he remains unsuccessful. Jump to: navigation, search With an area of 18,413 km² and a population of 4. ...

Since the administrative "old boys' club" prevents any progress through legal channels, Kohlhaas resorts to criminal means. He begins a private war. Together with seven men he destroys castle of the Squire, who in the meantime has fled to Wittenberg. Together with his growing "army" (really a mob), he descends on Wittenberg, demanding the Squire. In spite of numerous attacks of his 500-man army on Wittenberg he fails to secure the Squire. Statue of Martin Luther in the main square Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a town in Germany, in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, at 12° 59 E, 51° 51 N, on the Elbe river. ...

Through personal intervention of Martin Luther an amnesty is arranged, whereby the Governor (Kurfürst of Saxony) approves the suit against the Squire. But the Squire again activates his influential family and Kohlhaas is thrown into a dungeon in Brandenburg.

The Governor of Brandenburg mangages to have Kohlhaas released, but since in the meantime Saxony has informed the Kaiser in Vienna, the ruling families in Berlin feel this threat to the authority of the aristocracy must be handled with severity. In spite of surprising efforts of the Governor of Saxony to save Kohlhaas, he is sentenced to death. Later it turns out that Kohlhaas has on his person papers that contain important information about the House of Saxony. Jump to: navigation, search Vienna (German: Wien [viːn]; Hungarian: Bécs, Czech: Vídeň, Slovak: Viedeň, Romany Vidnya; Serbian: Beč) is the capital of Austria, and also one of Austrias nine federal states (Bundesland Wien). ...

As Kolhaas is led to execution, he sees in the crowd the disguised Governor of Saxony. He eats the document and offers no further protest. Just before being beheaded he sees his well-fed horses and realizes that the suit against the Squire has long since been settled.