Jacob Grimm (1785–1863), one half of of the renowned Brothers Grimm, was a German philologist, jurist, and mythologist. He was also a linguist, and discoverer of "Grimm's law," and wrote several of the West's best known fairy tales along with his brother Wilhelm. He was born in the town of Hanau, in what was at the time the Holy Roman Empire. He was a graduate of the University of Marburg.Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), German author and cultural researcher, was one half of the Grimm Brothers; authors of some of the most popular and best-known European fairy tales. He was born in the town of Hanau, in what was at the time the Holy Roman Empire. He was a graduate of the University of Marburg.