Egon Friedell

Egon Friedell (January 21, 1878 - March 16, 1938) was an Austrian journalist, writer, and theater critic. Also acted as an actor, cabaret artist and entertainer. He was born on January 21, 1878 in Vienna and was the third child of the Jewish silk manufacturer Moriz Friedmann and his wife Carolina, née Eisenberger. The mother left the family when Egon was one year old, leaving three children with her husband. The parents' marriage was dissolved in 1887. After his father's death in 1891, Egon lived with his aunt in Frankfurt am Main. In Frankfurt, he attended school, was considered a troublemaker and was expelled from school for misconduct after two years of study. He then studied at various schools in Austria and Germany. In September 1899, on the fourth attempt, he passed the examinations at the Konrad Duden Gymnasium in Bad Hersfeld. In 1897 he entered the Friedrich-Wilhelm University of Berlin as an invited student to study German language, science and philosophy. After graduating from high school, he moved to Ruprecht-Karl University in Heidelberg, where he studied with the Hegelian philosopher of philosophy Kuno Fischer.