Münchhausen

Münchhausen, KARL FRIEDRICH HIERONYMUS, BARON VON, a member of an ancient, noble family of Hanover, whose name has become proverbial as the narrator of false and ridiculously exaggerated exploits and adventures, was born 11th May 1720, at Bodenwerder, in Hanover, served as a cavalry officer in Russian campaigns against the Turks, and died at his birthplace, 22d February 1797. A collection of his marvellous stories, or stories attributed to him, was first published in English under the title of Baron Münchhausen's Narrative of his Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia (Lond. 1785). They were compiled by Rudolf Erich Raspe, an expatriated German (whose financial enterprises were not creditable to him), and by other hack writers. The book went rapidly through several editions; and in 1786 appeared the first German version edited by the poet Bürger. Ellisen's edition (reprinted in 1890) is enriched by an admirable introduction. So is Seecombe's English edition (1894), which points out many hits at Bruce, Montgolfier, &c. Several of the adventures ascribed to the baron occur in Bebel's Facetiæ (1508); others in Lange's Deliciae Academicae (1765). See T. Secombi's Introduction to his edition (1894).—A Freiherr von Münchhausen (1813–86) became in 1850 head of the government of Hanover; and after the annexation of Hanover by Prussia (1866) he made himself a champion of the national party.