This biography of Christian Hoffmann von Hoffmannswaldau (1616-1679) draws on hitherto largely untapped source material to describe the life and work of the Silesian poet and city councillor of Breslau (Wroclaw) against the backdrop of the rival claims of politics and literature. By extending its purview to the political, economic, socio-historical and above all intellectual climate prevailing in Silesia in general and Breslau in particular, it takes account of the quickening interest to be noted of late in the cultural history of the city Main description: Die auf weitgehend unbekanntem Quellenmaterial basierende Biographie über Christian Hoffmann von Hoffmannswaldau (1616-1679) stellt Leben und Werk des schlesischen Dichters und Breslauer Ratsherrn im Spannungsfeld von Politik und Literatur dar und trägt durch die Einbeziehung der politischen, wirtschaftlichen, sozialgeschichtlichen und vor allem geistesgeschichtlichen Verhältnisse in Schlesien im allgemeinen und in Breslau im besonderen dem merklich zugenommenen Interesse an einer Kulturgeschichte der Stadt Rechnung. Main description: This biography of Christian Hoffmann von Hoffmannswaldau (1616-1679) draws on hitherto largely untapped source material to describe the life and work of the Silesian poet and city councillor of Breslau (Wroclaw) against the backdrop of the rival claims of politics and literature. By extending its purview to the political, economic, socio-historical and above all intellectual climate prevailing in Silesia in general and Breslau in particular, it takes account of the quickening interest to be noted of late in the cultural history of the city.