Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter (15 March 1816 in Königswinter
– 29 June 1873 in Bad Neuenahr) was a German
novelist and poet
. He settled in Cologne
, and became a popular poet, novelist, and chronicler of the Rhine region
.
. In addition, he followed the poet's practice of appending the name of his birthplace to his original name. In 1835, he went to Bonn
to study medicine
at the wish of his father, also a physician. There he met Karl Joseph Simrock
and Gottfried Kinkel
. He continued his studies in Berlin in 1838 and graduated in 1840, after which he served his required time in the army as a surgeon. On his discharge in 1842, he went to Paris
where he met Heinrich Heine
, Georg Herwegh
and Franz von Dingelstedt
and continued his medical studies.
His stay in Paris was brief, since the death of his father pushed him to establish a practice in Düsseldorf
. He married in 1847, and his family life was a great comfort and inspiration to him in later years. In 1848, he was a delegate to the preliminary parliament at Frankfurt
. When that was over, he went back to writing sagas about the Rhine. In 1853, he gave up his medical practice and moved to Cologne
, and gradually gave up medicine to devote himself to literature. He briefly went back to practicing medicine during the Franco-Prussian War
and wrote some patriotic poems on this occasion.
He is well known for his poem Merlin der Zauberer (“Merlin the Magician,” 1857). Verse epics or narratives in the German Arthurian Literature tradition were undertaken with various success from the mid-18th century forward. In contrast to Romantic poets like Karl Leberecht Immermann
for whom Merlin represented the spirit of nature, Müller created a “modern Merlin” who, as Niniane's lover, uses his wisdom to resolve the conflict created by his revelation of the love affair of Guinevere. The Merlin-Niniane relationship is presented as uncharacteristically positive compared to other depictions in the Arthurian cannon.
Another well-known poem is Mein Herz ist am Rhein (“My heart is by the Rhine”). Six volumes of his selected poems were published under the title Dichtungen eines rheinischen Poeten (“Poesies of a Rhine poet,” 1871-76).
Müller's poetry finds much of its material in the Rhine, its beauty, its legends, and the life of its people. His verses were not imposing in their depth of passion, originality or flights of imagination, but won the reader through their free and fresh aura, their musical voice, their tender mellowness and their poetical sensuality. They were characterized by beauty and health.
Königswinter
Königswinter is a town and summer resort in the Rhein-Sieg district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, opposite to Bonn, at the foot of the Siebengebirge.- Main sights :...
– 29 June 1873 in Bad Neuenahr) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
novelist and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He settled in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, and became a popular poet, novelist, and chronicler of the Rhine region
Rhine Valley
The Rhine Valley is a glacial alpine valley, formed by the Alpine Rhine , i.e. the section of the Rhine River between the confluence of the Anterior Rhine and Posterior Rhine at Reichenau and its mouth at Lake Constance....
.
Biography
His real name was also the name of an earlier poet, Wilhelm MüllerWilhelm Müller
Wilhelm Müller was a German lyric poet.-Life:Wilhelm Müller was born at Dessau, the son of a tailor. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native town and at the university of Berlin, where he devoted himself to philological and historical studies...
. In addition, he followed the poet's practice of appending the name of his birthplace to his original name. In 1835, he went to Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
to study medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the wish of his father, also a physician. There he met Karl Joseph Simrock
Karl Joseph Simrock
Karl Joseph Simrock , was a German poet and writer. He is primarily known for his translation of the Nibelungenlied into modern German.- Life :He was born in Bonn, where his father was a music publisher...
and Gottfried Kinkel
Gottfried Kinkel
Johann Gottfried Kinkel was a German poet also noted for his revolutionary activities and his escape from a Prussian prison in Spandau with the help of his friend Carl Schurz.-Early life:...
. He continued his studies in Berlin in 1838 and graduated in 1840, after which he served his required time in the army as a surgeon. On his discharge in 1842, he went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he met Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
, Georg Herwegh
Georg Herwegh
Georg Friedrich Rudolph Theodor Herwegh was a German revolutionary poet.-Biography:He was born in Stuttgart on 31 May 1817, the son of an innkeeper...
and Franz von Dingelstedt
Franz von Dingelstedt
Franz von Dingelstedt was a German poet, dramatist and theatre administrator.-Biography:Dingestedt was born at Halsdorf, Hesse-Kassel , Germany, and later studied at the University of Marburg nearby. In 1836 he became a master at the Lyceum in Kassel, from where he was transferred to Fulda in 1838...
and continued his medical studies.
His stay in Paris was brief, since the death of his father pushed him to establish a practice in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. He married in 1847, and his family life was a great comfort and inspiration to him in later years. In 1848, he was a delegate to the preliminary parliament at Frankfurt
Frankfurt Parliament
The Frankfurt Assembly was the first freely elected parliament for all of Germany. Session was held from May 18, 1848 to May 31, 1849 in the Paulskirche at Frankfurt am Main...
. When that was over, he went back to writing sagas about the Rhine. In 1853, he gave up his medical practice and moved to Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, and gradually gave up medicine to devote himself to literature. He briefly went back to practicing medicine during the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
and wrote some patriotic poems on this occasion.
Poetry
Karl Leberecht Immermann
Karl Leberecht Immermann was a German dramatist and novelist.He was born at Magdeburg, the son of a government official. In 1813 he went to study law at Halle, where he remained, after the suppression of the university by Napoleon in the same year, until Frederick William III of Prussia's...
for whom Merlin represented the spirit of nature, Müller created a “modern Merlin” who, as Niniane's lover, uses his wisdom to resolve the conflict created by his revelation of the love affair of Guinevere. The Merlin-Niniane relationship is presented as uncharacteristically positive compared to other depictions in the Arthurian cannon.
Another well-known poem is Mein Herz ist am Rhein (“My heart is by the Rhine”). Six volumes of his selected poems were published under the title Dichtungen eines rheinischen Poeten (“Poesies of a Rhine poet,” 1871-76).
Müller's poetry finds much of its material in the Rhine, its beauty, its legends, and the life of its people. His verses were not imposing in their depth of passion, originality or flights of imagination, but won the reader through their free and fresh aura, their musical voice, their tender mellowness and their poetical sensuality. They were characterized by beauty and health.
Books
The more important of his books are:- Gedichte (“Poems,” 1847; 3d ed. 1868)
- Der Rattenfänger von Sankt Goar (“The rat catcher of St. Goar,” 1856)
- Liederbuch (“Songbook,” 1857; 4th ed. 1871)
- Lorelei, an epic cycle (1851; 4th ed. 1873)
- Erzählungen eines rheinischen Chronisten (“Tales of a Rhine chronicler,” 1860-61)
- Im Rittersaal (“In the hall of knights,” 1874).