Fischart Johann

Fischart, Johann (1545-1589), a German satirical writer, was born at Mainz. Not much is known of his life, except that he was a Doctor of Laws, and in the latter part of his life was bailiff of Forbach. His satires, partly verse, partly prose, are humorous and sometimes obscene, and attack freely the follies of his time. He was a sort of German Rabelais, and took great liberties with his native tongue, being compared in this respect to Aristophanes. He wrote an imitation of Rabelais, and one of his chief works was Bas gluekhaft Scliiff von Zurich.