What was the profession of the Brothers Grimm's father?

The profession of the Brothers Grimm’s father was lawyer. Philipp Wilhelm Grimm trained in law and worked in several legal and administrative positions in Hesse-Kassel.

He became a court lawyer in Hanau in 1778. Later, he served as a town clerk and Landschreiber before becoming an Amtmann, or district magistrate, in Steinau. That final role combined legal, administrative, and judicial responsibilities, so some biographies describe him both as a lawyer and a magistrate.

Philipp Grimm married Dorothea Zimmer in 1783 and was the father of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, as well as seven other children. He died of pneumonia in 1796, when Wilhelm was still a child. His death left the large family in financial difficulty and helped shape the brothers’ early lives.

A common mix-up is confusing Philipp’s profession with that of other members of the Grimm family. Several Grimms were pastors, but the father of the famous folklorists was a lawyer who later held public office.