[1] He was born at Potsdam, studied medicine at Berlin (1835–1840), and on taking his degree, in 1840, entered the Prussian army as a surgeon.
He settled at Bielefeld as medical practitioner and here issued his first novel, Der Inselkonig ("King of the ISland", 1852, 3rd ed., 1858), which enjoyed considerable popularity.
In Bielefeld he continued to work at his profession and to write, until his retirement, with the rank of Oberstabsarzt (surgeon-general), to Potsdam in 1878, where he died.
"[2] His novels are distinguished by local colouring and pretty, though not powerful, descriptions of manners and customs.
He particularly favored scenes of English life, though he had never been in that country, and on the whole he succeeded well in his descriptions.