What is Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann?
[[Image:ETA-Hoffmann.JPG|thumb|E. T. A. Hoffmann]] {{Commonscat|E. T. A. Hoffmann}} '''Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann''' (born [[Königsberg]] 24 January 1776; died [[Berlin]] 25 June 1822) was a [[Germany|German]] [[writer]], [[composer]], [[music critic]], [[painter]], [[caricature|caricaturist]] and [[lawyer]]. He liked the [[music]] of [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] so much that he changed his third name from Wilhelm to Amadeus. He is always known as '''E. T. A. Hoffmann'''. He was a man of many talents, but his greatest importance is as a [[Romanticism|Romantic]] [[writer]]. He wrote [[fantasy]] and [[Horror fiction|horror]] stories which had a very large [[influence]] on [[German literature]] in the [[19th century]]. His stories had a lot of influence in music. He is the hero of [[Jacques Offenbach]]'s famous opera ''[[The Tales of Hoffmann]]''. His fantasies were used in other musical works such as [[Delibes]]’s [[ballet]] ''[[Coppélia]]'' and in operas by [[Busoni]] and [[Hindemith]]. ==Life== ===Early years=== [[Image:Karikatur Hoffmann.gif|thumb|E. T. A. Hoffmann’s caricature of himself]] Hoffmann studied [[law]] at the University of Königsberg from where he graduated when he was only 16 years old. He finished his studies in Glogau and Berlin. His first job was in Posen. He married in 1802. In the same year he had to leave his job because he had made fun of some people in his [[caricature]] drawings. He soon went to [[Warsaw]] where he worked as a lawyer as well as meeting famous writers. He composed music, including a [[symphony]], a [[harp]] [[quintet]] and music for [[Play (theatre)|plays]]. Because of the [[political]] situation after the [[France|French]] invasion in 1806 he lost his job. He tried to get a job in [[Berlin]] but without success. In 1808, he went to [[Bamberg]] where he spent five years. His job there was as a [[Conductor (music)|conductor]] and theatre designer. He fell in love with a young girl called Julia Marc and composed [[sacred]] music and [[opera]]s. He wrote [[musical criticis