Wolfgang Franz von Kobell

Wolfgang Xavier Franz Ritter von Kobell (19 July 1803 – 11 November 1882) was a German mineralogist and writer of short stories and poems in Bavarian dialect.

Besides his work as a mineralogist, Kobell is also famous for writing many short stories and poems in the Bavarian dialect of Upper Bavaria.

His best known work is a short story which was later used as base for the popular Bavarian stage play Der Brandner Kasper.

The grim reaper has some issues with his management and convinces Kasper to stay in paradise, after he had a look into it, similar as in the Joshua ben Levi legend.

Kobell's writing shows great comic awareness and the ability to combine a rich sense of fantasy with realism.