Volkmann, Richard von
Volkmann, Richard von (pseudonym of Richard Leander, 1830–89).A German doctor, he was popular for his poems and stories but only his fairy tales have stood the test of time. These he wrote for his children while serving as a surgeon during the siege of Paris in the Franco‐Prussian War: Träumereien an französischen Kaminen (Dreams by a French Fireside, 1871). Using motifs and themes from both the romantic literary fairy tale and folk tales, the stories evoke an idyll of domesticity. A great success, they had 48 German editions in 40 years and were translated into English in 1886.
Karen Seago