Profession: philosopher

Wagner was a close friend — Nietzsche visited frequently, was a strong admirer of the older man, and at Christmas sent Cosima Wagner music he’d composed (the friendship did not survive his transparent attack on Wagner in print). Nietzsche had an unsettling friendship with Andreas-Salomé, driving him to the despair out of which ‘Thus Spake Zarathrustra’ was begun. A long friendship with Burckhardt began when Nietzsche was appointed to Basel University. Strindberg, Liszt, Brandes and Taine were correspondents. He was visited by Steiner when he’d been overtaken by madness.

Hegel and Hölderlin were close and influential friends as seminary students — he had known Hölderlin from school; helping Hegel find jobs, he eventually grew bitter at his success. Fichte recommended Schelling (his disciple) for his post in Jena; Goethe commanded it. In Jena, he met Novalis, enjoyed warm relations with Goethe, was particularly close to August Schlegel (eventually marrying his wife), but failed to appreciate Schiller. Schelling succeeded Fichte, dismissed for his atheism; he proceeded to fall out with both Fichte and Hegel, engaging in catty criticism with Hegel until his death. Müller studied with him in Berlin.

Fichte sent his hero Kant a paper some weeks after a mutually-disappointing first visit; Kant got it published, and Fichte’s name was made. Hegel arrived in Jena with Fichte already an established colleague. Schelling, initially something of a disciple, took over his post when Fichte was dismissed for his atheism (the two later broke off). Novalis wrote extensively on him; Lavater was a correspondent; Humboldt attended his lectures whenever he could. Fichte contributed to Schiller’s journal, though their relationship was prickly. He had no meaningful contact with Klopstock, despite marrying the old poet’s niece.

Practically all of Schopenhauer’s significant connections arose early in his career, and even then he was careful to distance himself from those — Hegel, Schelling, Fichte — whose positions he was about to undermine (inimitably describing all three as charlatans). Wieland, the Schlegels, the Grimms and Goethe all attended his mother’s salon, Goethe telling her that her son had a great future, and lending him his experimental optical apparatus. Impressed by Humboldt’s achievements, Schopenhauer was disappointed by the man. Increasingly reclusive in later years, he preferred his poodles’ company to that of most men.