Ignaz Denner is a 1814 short story by E. T. A. Hoffmann which first appeared in 1816 as part of his Nachtstücke collection.

In early 1816, Hoffmann edited the text, changed its title from Der Revierjäger ("The Gamekeeper") to Ignaz Denner, and it was included in his Nachtstücke.

[1][2] Andres, a gamekeeper, accompanies his master, Graf Aloys von Vach, on a trip through Italy.

Although Andres holds a somewhat prestigious job, his family and household servant live a life of hardship and misery.

The family house is paid an unexpected visit by a stranger, who introduces himself as a travelling merchant and heals Giorgina by feeding her drops of a dark red liquid.

Because he is childless himself, he asks the couple to let their son go with him; he will give the child a good education and look after him well in Strasbourg.

Andres is forced to take part in a robbery at the house of a rich man called Pacht.

During the robbery, Denner is injured in a shootout between the robbers and the forces of the Graf; Andres picks him up and carries him to safety.

Giorgina tells him what has occurred: Ignaz Denner came to the house with his band of robbers to seek refuge after attacking the Graf's Schloss.

He locked himself in a room with Andres' son, cut his chest open, and collected the boy's blood in a bowl.

The crowd outside watched as Trabaccio's son momentarily appeared on the balcony of the collapsing house before vanishing.

Andres brings his unharmed son back to the Schloss, and later returns to bury Denner.

The next day, when Andres returns to place a cross on the grave, he discovers that the earth has been churned up and the body removed.

Andres eventually finds peace after he throws Denner's box into a deep ravine.