Philosopher, Poet, Novelist. Full name Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr (Baron) von Hardenberg. He was the second of the eleven children of Heinrich Ulrich von Hardenberg and his wife Auguste. When his father became director of the government saltworks the family moved from the family estate at Oberwiederstedt to Weißenfels. In 1790 he began his studies of law at the University of Jena, where he befriended Friedrich Schiller. A year later he came to the University of Leipzig, where he continued his law studies and added studies of philosophy and mathematics, he also befriended Friedrich Schlegel there. After hearing that his son had a romance with a local girl in Leipzig and did not concentrate on his school his father sent him to Wittenberg. He finished his studies of law there in 1794 as the best of his year. In January 1796 he was appointed auditor to the government saltworks in Weißenfels. After the death of his younger brother and his first fiancé, he entered the Mining Academy of Freiberg, Saxony where he studied mathematics, chemistry, geology and other subjects. In 1798 he became betrothed to Juliane von Charpentier and published "Blüthenstaub" which was a collection of fragments and for which he used the pseudonym Novalis for the first time. In December 1800 he was appointed as local magistrate in Thuringia and was preparing to marry Juliane when he died. His friends Ludwig Tiek and Friedrich Schlegel published his works in two volumes after his death.

Philosopher, Poet, Novelist. Full name Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr (Baron) von Hardenberg. He was the second of the eleven children of Heinrich Ulrich von Hardenberg and his wife Auguste. When his father became director of the government saltworks the family moved from the family estate at Oberwiederstedt to Weißenfels. In 1790 he began his studies of law at the University of Jena, where he befriended Friedrich Schiller. A year later he came to the University of Leipzig, where he continued his law studies and added studies of philosophy and mathematics, he also befriended Friedrich Schlegel there. After hearing that his son had a romance with a local girl in Leipzig and did not concentrate on his school his father sent him to Wittenberg. He finished his studies of law there in 1794 as the best of his year. In January 1796 he was appointed auditor to the government saltworks in Weißenfels. After the death of his younger brother and his first fiancé, he entered the Mining Academy of Freiberg, Saxony where he studied mathematics, chemistry, geology and other subjects. In 1798 he became betrothed to Juliane von Charpentier and published "Blüthenstaub" which was a collection of fragments and for which he used the pseudonym Novalis for the first time. In December 1800 he was appointed as local magistrate in Thuringia and was preparing to marry Juliane when he died. His friends Ludwig Tiek and Friedrich Schlegel published his works in two volumes after his death.

Bio by: Lutetia