Born in 1729, died in 1781; studied theology at Leipsic, but
turned his thoughts to writing for the stage, his first
comedy being produced in 1748; settled in Berlin in 1748;
lived in Leipsic a second time, engaged in writing plays,
poems and books; removed from Berlin to Breslau in 1765,
where he wrote his masterpiece, "Laocoön," published in
1766; in 1769 made librarian of the ducal library in
Wolfenbüttel, which place he held until his death.
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