Woyzeck

Büchner's play "Woyzeck," published in 1876, is preserved in three handwritten fragments. It tells the story of the soldier Woyzeck, who tries to support his girlfriend Marie and their child while being exploited as a test subject by a doctor and his superior. When he discovers that Marie is cheating on him, he kills her. The work is among the most read and performed texts in world dramatic literature. It had a unique influence on the literary history of the 20th century, more than any other play of the 19th century.