Brothers Grimm - TheFreshReads

Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786-1859) were born in Hanau, Hesse-Kassel, Holy Roman Empire (present-day Germany). After completing school, they joined the University of Marburg where they studied law. They also grew interested in folk poetry, philology, history and began studying medieval German literature.

In 1812, they published the first volume of their classic collection, with 86 folk tales, titled Kinder – und Hausmarchen (known as Children’s and Household Tales in English). Unlike the romantic, poetical fairy tales, these tales were as beautiful as they were violent and frightening, presenting life as it was. This volume was criticized as it was considered unsuitable for children.

The second edition of Children’s and Household Tales, commonly known as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, had a total of 170 tales published in three volumes. In every successive edition, which was elaborately illustrated, stories were revised, added and subtracted. The seventh edition published in 1850 had a total of 211 tales.

The Brothers Grimm are probably the best-known children short story writers. Perhaps no other stories possess as much power to enchant, delight, and surprise as those penned by the immortal Brothers Grimm.