Christian Gellert's Last Christmas
Berthold Auerbach's classic novella, Christian Gellert's Last Christmas, tells the story of a pious German pastor, Christian Gellert, who is nearing the end of his life. On Christmas Eve, Gellert reflects on his life and his faith, and he is filled with a deep sense of peace and contentment. As he drifts off to sleep, he is visited by a vision of the Christ Child, who brings him a message of hope and love. The next morning, Gellert is found dead in his bed, having passed away peacefully in his sleep. His death is mourned by the entire village, and his legacy of faith and love lives on in the hearts of all who knew him. Christian Gellert's Last Christmas is a timeless tale of faith, hope, and love, and a reminder of the power of the Christmas spirit.
By Berthold Auerbach · First published 1869 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance · 12,370 words
First lines
Three o'clock had just struck from the tower of St. Nicholas, Leipzig, on the afternoon of December 22d, 1768, when a man, wrapped in a loose overcoat, came out of the door of the University. His countenance was exceedingly gentle, and on his features cheerfulness still lingered, for he had been gazing upon a hundred cheerful faces; after him thronged a troop of students, who, holding back, allowed him to precede them: the passengers in the streets saluted him, and some, students, who pressed forwards and hurried past him homewards, saluted him quite reverentially. He returned their salutations with a surprised and almost deprecatory air, and yet he knew, and could not conceal from himself, that he was one of the best beloved, not only in the good city of Leipzig, but in all lands far and wide.
What this Textopian page supports
Christian Gellert's Last Christmas is listed on Textopian as a short story by Berthold Auerbach, dated 1869 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Berthold Auerbach
- Date: 1869 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama
- Length: 12,370 words
- Structure: 1 section, 138 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Christian Gellert's Last Christmas by Berthold Auerbach
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Christian Gellert's Last Christmas?
- How does this short story by Berthold Auerbach fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres
- Religious Fiction — The title of the book, 'Christian Gellert's Last Christmas', implies a religious theme, and the book is written by Berthold Auerbach, a German Jewish author who wrote about religious themes.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the 18th century and is based on a true story, making it a historical fiction novel.
- Romance — The book follows the story of Christian Gellert and his love for a woman, making it a romance novel.
- Drama — The book follows the story of Christian Gellert and his struggles with his faith, making it a drama novel.
Tags
1715-1769 · 1769 · Christian Fürchtegott · Christmas · Christmas stories · Gellert · christopher · could · day · gellert, christian fürchtegott, 1715 · give · god