August Follen refers to Karl August Adolf Follen, a German poet, patriot, and political activist. Born on September 21, 1794, in Giessen, Germany, Follen played a significant role in the early 19th-century liberal and nationalist movements. He was a prominent figure within the German student societies known as the Burschenschaften.
Follen's academic pursuits focused on theology and law, and his intellectual pursuits incorporated elements of Romanticism. However, it was his participation in the liberal political movements in Germany that defined his legacy. Follen actively advocated for social and political reform, fighting for liberal ideas such as the establishment of a representative government, freedom of speech, and an end to feudalism.
During the War of Liberation against Napoleon, Follen joined the Lützow Free Corps, a volunteer military unit. He later emigrated to the United States in 1824 to escape political repression in Germany. In America, Follen continued his activism, becoming involved in the abolitionist movement.
Tragically, Follen's life was cut short when he and his family died in a shipwreck off the coast of Long Island in 1840 while returning to the United States from Germany. His dedication to liberal principles and contributions to political and social reform make August Follen a key figure in German and American history.
