The Brothers — Grimm

In the early 1800s, Napoleon was conquering Europe. The Grimm brothers watched French culture steamroll over their beloved German principalities. They feared that German heritage—the language, the myths, the oral traditions—would be erased forever.

Their life’s work was —one of the most ambitious linguistic projects in history. They attempted to define every German word from Martin Luther to Goethe. Jacob lived to see the letter F . Wilhelm died during D . The Brothers Grimm

They weren't originally storytellers. They were on a mission to save German culture from disappearing. In the early 1800s, Napoleon was conquering Europe

So the next time you watch a fairy tale movie, remember: somewhere beneath the glitter and the songs, there is a dark German forest—and two brothers in a dusty library, determined not to let the trees be forgotten. What’s your favorite Grimm fairy tale? (The real version, not the Disney one.) Their life’s work was —one of the most