Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (/ˈlɛsɪŋ/, German: [ˈɡɔthɔlt ˈʔeːfʁa.ɪm ˈlɛsɪŋ] (listen); 22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781) was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and an outstanding representative of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature. He is widely considered by theatre historians to be the first dramaturg in his role at Abel Seyler's Hamburg National Theatre.