Friedrich Neumann was born Kassel, Germany on 2 March 1889.

From 1907 to 1913, Neumann studied classical philology, German literature and philosophy at the universities of Marburg, Munich and Göttingen.

Neumann volunteered for service in the German Army during World War I, and served on the Western Front.

Since 1927, Neumann was Professor of German Philology at the University of Göttingen.

Neumann was awarded the Brothers Grimm Prize of the University of Marburg in 1971.