August Karl Silberstein (1 July 1827 – 7 March 1900) was an Austrian writer, born in Buda, Austrian Empire.

Biography

Silberstein was educated at the University of Vienna and supported the 1848 revolts in Austria-Hungary with his articles in the German satire periodical Leuchtkugeln, which was banned in the middle of 1851. As a result, Silberstein was forced to leave his home. Impassioned by the country life, he wrote stories of life in villages idealizing the countryside and published popular collections of tales. He was thus called the "Austrian Auerbach". His poems had influence in his lifetime, in particular upon the Austrian poet Peter Rosegger, to whom he was to some extent a mentor. These poems were sometimes put to music by composers such as Strauss (Wenn du ein herzig Liebchen hast of 1879) or Anton Bruckner (Germanenzug of 1864, Vaterlandslied of 1866, and Helgoland of 1893).

Works