Johann Christoph Friederich von Schiller was born in Marbach, Germany. He attended a military academy, and became an army surgeon in Stuttgart, where he began to write 'Storm and Stress' verse and plays.

The revolutionary appeal of his first play 'The Robbers', made it an instant success. He later settled in Dresden, where his works included the poem 'Ode to Joy', later set to music by Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony. He became professor of history at Jena in 1788.

Friederich Schiller was a master of dramatic construction and character portrayal, and his plays became classics of the German theater.

His writings were pleas for human freedom and inspired German liberals in their fight for liberty during the early 1800'.

His later works include the dramatic trilogy 'Wallenstein', the greatest German historical drama; 'Maria Stuart', and 'Wilhelm Tell'.