He was born in
Copenhagen, Denmark. Ewald grew up in a strongly pietistic parsonage. His father was Enevold Ewald (1696-1754), vicar at the orphanage in Copenhagen. His maternal grandmother
Marie Wulf (1685–1738), was a pietist and later a follower of the Moravian Church. He was fatherless from an early age. He was sent to school in the
Duchy of Schleswig, his father's birthplace, and returned to enter the
University of Copenhagen in 1758. At 15 he ran away along with his brother and enlisted in the
Prussian service. Being compelled to join a regiment of artillery at
Magdeburg, instead of being attached to the hussars as he had been promised, he deserted the Prussian standard in the
Seven Years' War, and entered the
Austrian service, where he was made a non-commissioned officer. After a few months he again deserted, returned home. He had returned from the Seven Years' War seriously weakened. He began to apply himself seriously to theology and in 1762 he became
cand.theol. in 1762. Although he was educated as a theologian, but his real interest was in literature. An unhappy love for Arendse Hulegaard, inspired his later poetry deeply. After the death of his father, his mother was remarried to Arendse's uncle. Arendse later married another. The following years were spent living as a bohemian and writing poetry in Copenhagen; there were also a time of alcoholism and conflicts with his mother and step-father. For most of his life he was under their tutelage and he never took up a profession. His lifestyle had much in common with his contemporary
Johan Herman Wessel (1742–1785) although as writers they differed greatly. On the death of
Frederick V of Denmark, Ewald was requested to compose an elegy (1766). The general admiration with which it was received roused his ambition, and he soon became one of the most eminent lyric and tragic poets of his nation. In 1769, Ewald was severely attacked by gout which caused him to be confined to bed. From 1773 to 1775 he had a rather happy convalescence at
Rungstedlund (later the home of
Karen Blixen). Ewald wrote some of his best verses during this time, but a conflict with his family led to his removal to the small
North Zealand town of
Humlebæk (1775–77), which depressed him and worsened his alcoholism. Finally, friends brought him to Søbækshus, near
Helsingør, and where he lived for some years under growing public interest and literary fame. Johannes Ewald led a short and troubled life, marked by
alcoholism and financial problems. His life darkened by illness, distress and misfortune, Ewald died at age 37 and was buried in the cemetery of
Trinitatis Church in Copenhagen. However, the cemetery largely disappeared in the aftermath of the
Copenhagen Fire of 1795 (
Københavns brand 1795) . ==Works==