Written in the spring of 1836 for a competition 'for the best one- or two-act comedy in prose or verse' sponsored by Stuttgart publisher Cotta.
It was first performed almost 60 years later, on May 31, 1895, in an outdoor performance by the Munich Company Intimes Theater, directed by Ernst von Wolzogen and with the involvement of Max Halbe and Oskar Panizza, illustrating the fact that Büchner only gained prominence as a writer in the 20th century.
Erich Kästner considered Leonce and Lena to be one of the six most important classic comedies in German language.
Leonce's girlfriend Rosetta is in his room and dances for him but he confesses he does not love her anymore, and so she goes out.
The president of the council comes in his room and reminds him of the wedding ceremony with Lena on the day after.
That makes Leonce want to commit suicide by jumping into the river but Valerio stops him.
King Peter and his followers try to figure out how to solve the problem that Prince Leonce and Princess Lena are not there in their wedding day.
Finally, Leonce, Lena, Valerio and the governess arrive with masks on their faces.
King Peter decides to make those two robots get married instead of Prince Leonce and Princess Lena.
Leonce and Lena both decide to escape their duties as a prince and princess, and avoid their arranged marriage.
Then the question arises, has fate determined the final event or did the two coincidentally meet?
The governess feels pity for Lena and takes her out of the kingdom to escape the marriage.
In act 3, Leonce and Lena return to the Kingdom of Popo with Valerio and the governess to be married.
Meeting with Valerio, escaping the kingdom, going to Italy and so on, all these tasks are the pathway to the door of fate.