Editing Heinrich Zschokke (section)

===Youth and early career in Prussia===
Born in [[Magdeburg]], [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], he was educated at the monasterial ({{Lang|de|Kloster}}) school and at the Altstädter [[gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]] there. He ran away from school at 17,<ref name="nie">{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Zschokke, Heinrich|year=1905}}</ref> and spent some time as playwright with a company of traveling actors. Later, he studied philosophy, [[theology]] and history at the [[Viadrina European University|University of Frankfurt (Oder)]], where in 1792 he established himself as a [[privatdozent]] (associate professor or lecturer).<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Zschokke, Johann Heinrich Daniel |volume=28|page=1046}}</ref>

While a privatdozent, Zschokke created a sensation by publishing the extravagant novel, {{Lang|de|Abällino, der grosse Bandit}} (Abaellino, the great bandit, 1793; subsequently also dramatized), modelled on [[Friedrich Schiller|Schiller]]'s {{Lang|de|[[Die Räuber]]}}, and the melodramatic tragedy {{Lang|de|Julius von Sassen}} (1796).<ref name="EB1911"/>