Franz Xaver von Schonwerth

Franz Xaver von Schonwerth (1810–1886) had a successful career in law and the Bavarian royal court before devoting himself full-time to cataloging the customs and folktales of his homeland. He was born in Amberg as the first of five children of Joseph Schonwerth, a royal drawing professor. He obtained a law degree from the University of Munich. In 1845, he became the private secretary to Crown Prince Maximilian of Bavaria. After the prince's accession as King Maximilian II, he headed his cabinet as well as continuing to serve as his private secretary and manage his wealth; he was responsible for guiding the king in his patronage of the arts and sciences. From 1854 on, he collected a wide variety of information about Bavaria, including legends, fairytales, and proverbs, as well as personal stories from peasants.