His grandfather and father were dealers in second-hand books. In 1834 he went to Vienna, where he devoted himself to literary work, and wrote the drama
Die Letzte Weisse Rose, which was played first in
Stuttgart and later in
Carlsruhe and
Frankfort-on-the-Main, and won great popularity. In 1838 Kuranda went to Stuttgart, where he became acquainted with
David Strauss, the author of
Das Leben Jesu; with
Uhland, and with other
Swabian poets. Here, too, for the first time he came into contact with public political life. He then went to Paris and
Brussels. In the latter city he attracted attention through lectures on modern German literature. With the assistance of Minister
Nothomb and the author
Hendrik Conscience he founded in 1841 the periodical
Die Grenzboten; but on account of the obstacles which the
Prussian government placed in the way of its circulation in Germany, Kuranda removed its headquarters to
Leipzig, where it soon became an important factor in Austrian politics. That which no one dared write in Austria was published in
Die Grenzboten. Kuranda's work
Belgien Seit Seiner Revolution appeared in Leipzig in 1846. After the outbreak of the movement of 1848 Kuranda went to Vienna, where he was enthusiastically received in literary circles. From Vienna he was delegated to the
Fünfziger Ausschuss in Frankfort-on-the-Main, and later he was returned to the German parliament as delegate for
Teplitz. Kuranda did not remain long in the Frankfort parliament. In the summer of 1848 he returned to Vienna and established the
Ostdeutsche Post, which first appeared on 1 October, and in which he strove to oppose the revolutionary element. After the promulgation of the constitution (the
Octroirte Verfassung), which had been forced upon the people, Kuranda had to give up his position as editor of the
Ostdeutsche Post. He was placed under police surveillance because he refused to sign an engagement not to write upon politics, and some time elapsed before he could again publish the periodical, which he made the organ of the so-called "Grossdeutsche" liberal party in Austria, and in which he pleaded for the restoration of constitutional conditions. Kuranda may be regarded as one of the founders of liberal press conditions in Austria. Memorable is his lawsuit with
Sebastian Brunner, a
Catholic priest and editor of the
Kirchenzeitung, which case was tried on 10 May 1860. Kuranda had pointed out in the
Oesterreichische Post that Brunner collected material for his accusations against the Jews "from very unclean and suspicious sources, whereby he spread untruthfulness and slander." Brunner pressed a charge of calumny against Kuranda, who, through his able defense, and after a masterful pleading by Johann Berger , was acquitted in terms which implied a condemnation of Brunner's anti-Jewish campaign. In 1866 Kuranda discontinued the publication of his paper, and devoted all his energies to politics. He fought the absolutist October policy, and assisted, as friend and confidant, the Austrian secretary of state,
Schmerling, in drafting the February constitution. == In Parliament ==