Early lyric. Later satirical wit and irony. 

Radical political: greatly admired Napoleon as the promoter of revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality and loathed the political atmosphere in Germany after Napoleon's defeat, marked by the conservative policies of Austrian chancellor Metternich, who attempted to reverse the effects of the French Revolution.

Heinrich Heine   Heine studied at Bonn, Berlin and Göttingen universities, but his calling was for literature rather than law, although he did eventually take a degree. His first published his writings at the age of 34.Heine was a German poet of Jewish origin, born in Düsseldorf.  His father a tradesman, during the French occupation found new prospects opening up for Jews, but when his business failed he sent Heinrich to Hamburg where his Uncle Salomon a rich banker tried to encourage him without success into a commercial career. 1825.>

Heine, like his teacher G.W.F. Hegel, Berlin university was passionate about Napoleon, so much so that he converted to Protestantism to make it possible for a civil service career which at that time was closed to Jews. He also changed his first name Harry to the Germanic Heinrich, although he never held a position in government service.

Heine made his debut with GEDICHTE (POEMS) in 1821. It included one of his most famous poems `Zwei Grenadiere`, (two infantry) this reflected his passion for Napoleon. He had an infatuation with his cousins Amalie and Therese, which was said to be a somewhat one-sided thing; they inspired a comprehensive collection of verse BUCH DER LIEDER (Book of songs) which were some of his loveliest lyrics. His early works show the influence of folk poetry, but the mocking tone of them sets them aside from the romantic mainstream.  His four volumes of REISEBILDER (TRAVEL PICTURES)1826-31 were the product of his summer vacations, a combination of an autobiography, literary debate and social criticism.

In 1827 Heine visited England, but the custom of behaviour and middle-class man materialism horrified him and he returned disillusioned to Germany. In the third volume of Reisebilder (Die Bäder von Lucca) Travel pictures (the baths of Lucca), Heine ridiculed the poet August von Platen, who had attacked him on his Jewish origins. This damaged Heine`s reputation, and in 1831 he went to Paris as a journalist, to write newspaper articles about the development of democracy and capitalism in France. His reports on French cultural and political affairs, his travel books and works on German literature and philosophy, his critical views annoyed the German censors, and he had no chance of becoming a prophet in his own country.  At the end of 1835 the Federal German big wigs tried to enforce a nationwide ban on all his works. he soon found himself surrounded by police spies, and his voluntary exile became a forced one.  

In defiance of censors in Germany he visited his home country and published a long verse satire, DEUTCHLAND: EIN WINTERMÄRCHEN (1844) DEUTCHLAND:  A WINTER FAIRY TALE, an attack on uncompromising circles. Near the end of the poem, the patron goddess of Hamburg, reveals a vision of Germany`s future to the poet-narrator in a chamber pot. In the same year the Silesian weavers protested violently against intolerable working conditions and Heine sided with them in his poem: `"Doomed be the fatherland, false name, / Where nothing thrives but disgrace and shame, / Where flowers are crushed before they unfold, / Where the worm is quickened by rot and mold - We weave, we weave."` Friedrich Engels translated the poem into English, which later guaranteed that the poet became one of the most studied in Communist countries. Karl Marx also read Heine`s poems and corresponded with him.

During his last years Heine was interested in combining elements of Christianity and pagan sensualism. His last romantic affair was with Camilla Selden, an Austrian woman, whom he called `Mouche`. His poems for Camilla are among his best love lyrics. Heine died in Paris on February 17, 1856.  Long after his death,  his work still aroused controversy in Germany,  the Nazis because of Heine`s Jewish background, insisted that the poet`s songs should be marked `author unknown` in poetry collections. 

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