Kinder- und Hausmärchen
The most accessible introduction to Jacob Grimm's collaborative folklore work and his partnership with Wilhelm.
Author guide
Jacob Grimm Books in Order
Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (1785–1863) was a German scholar best known, with his brother Wilhelm Grimm, for Kinder- und Hausmärchen and Deutsche Sagen. His independent scholarship covered historical linguistics, Germanic mythology, legal antiquities, medieval literature, and the history of the German language; he also co-founded the Deutsches Wörterbuch and formulated Grimm's law.
German philologylinguisticsfolkloremythologylegal historyliterary scholarshipreference
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Deutsche Grammatik
Jacob Grimm's foundational work in historical Germanic linguistics.
Deutsche Mythologie
His major synthesis of Germanic mythology, belief, and popular tradition.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (1)
- Irmenstrasse und Irmensäule
nonfiction · 1815
Nonfiction (5)
- Deutsche Grammatik
reference · 1819
- Deutsche Rechtsaltertümer
reference · 1828
- Deutsche Mythologie
reference · 1835
- Geschichte der deutschen Sprache
reference · 1848
- Deutsches Wörterbuch
reference · 1854
Essays and speeches (6)
- Über den altdeutschen Meistergesang
essay · 1811
- Zur Recension der deutschen Grammatik
essay · 1826
- Über meine Entlassung
pamphlet · 1838
- Sendschreiben an Karl Lachmann über Reinhart Fuchs
essay · 1840
- Frau Aventiure klopft an Benecke's Thür
essay · 1842
- Das Wort des Besitzes
essay · 1850
Other (14)
- Kinder- und Hausmärchen
collection · 1812
- Das Lied von Hildebrand und das Weissenbrunner Gebet
scholarly-edition · 1812
- Altdeutsche Wälder
collection · 1813
- Der arme Heinrich von Hartmann von der Aue
scholarly-edition · 1815
- Die Lieder der alten Edda
scholarly-edition · 1815
- Silva de romances viejos
collection · 1815
- Deutsche Sagen
collection · 1816
- Reinhart Fuchs
scholarly-edition · 1834
- Taciti Germania edidit
scholarly-edition · 1835
- Lateinische Gedichte des X. und XI. Jahrhunderts
collection · 1838
- Weistümer
collection · 1840
- Andreas und Elene
scholarly-edition · 1840
- Rede auf Wilhelm Grimm und Rede über das Alter
collection · 1864
- Kleinere Schriften
collection · 1864
Frequently asked questions about Jacob Grimm
Who was Jacob Grimm?
Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) was a German philologist, linguist, jurist, mythologist, and folklorist. He was the elder brother and longtime collaborator of Wilhelm Grimm.
Sources: deutsche-biographie.de (opens in a new tab)uni-goettingen.de (opens in a new tab)
What did Jacob Grimm do during his career?
Grimm began by studying law but became a pioneering scholar of Germanic languages, folklore, mythology, and legal history. He worked as a librarian, taught at the University of Göttingen, and later joined the Berlin Academy of Sciences.
Sources: encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)deutsche-biographie.de (opens in a new tab)
Who influenced Jacob Grimm’s scholarship?
Friedrich Karl von Savigny strongly influenced Grimm by introducing him to historical methods in legal and literary study. The Romantic-era interest in Germanic culture, folk traditions, and the medieval past also shaped his work.
Sources: encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)en.wikisource.org (opens in a new tab)
Did Jacob Grimm receive any awards or honors?
Grimm was elected to the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1841 and received an Order of Merit in 1842. He also received honorary degrees from several universities.
What is Jacob Grimm best known for today?
He is best known for collaborating with Wilhelm on the collection commonly called Grimm’s Fairy Tales, while scholars also recognize him as a founder of Germanic philology and the formulator of Grimm’s law. His legacy includes the influential Deutsches Wörterbuch, begun with Wilhelm.
Sources: uni-goettingen.de (opens in a new tab)encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)bbaw.de (opens in a new tab)