German lyrical poet and hymnwriter
Simon Dach
(29 July 1605 ? 15 April 1659) was a German
lyrical poet
and
hymnwriter
, born in
Memel
,
Duchy of Prussia
(now Klaip?da in
Lithuania
).
Early life
[
edit
]
Although brought up in humble circumstances (his father was a poorly paid court interpreter for
Lithuanian
in
Memel
), he received a
classical education
in the Domschule of
Konigsberg
(now
Kaliningrad
, Russia) and in the Latin schools of
Wittenberg
and
Magdeburg
, and entered the
University of Konigsberg
in 1626 where he was a student of
theology
and
philosophy
.
[1]
In 1626, he left Magdeburg to escape both the plague and the
Thirty Years' War
, and returned to his Prussian homeland, settling in Konigsberg, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Mid life
[
edit
]
After earning his degree, Dach was a private tutor for a time, then was appointed
Kollaborator
(teacher) in 1633 and co-rector of the
Domschule
(cathedral school) in Konigsberg in 1636. In 1639 he was appointed by
Adrian Brauer
to the Chair of Poetry at the Albertina University in Konigsberg.
[1]
This was a post he held until his death. Also, in 1640 he received a doctorate from the University.
Part of his official duties as Chair of Poetry was to create poems for various University celebrations, programs, debates and funeral services of his colleagues ? all of these written either Latin or Greek. In 1644, he wrote the play
Sorbuisa
, which celebrated the centennial of the University of Konigsberg.
Dach became one of the prominent heads of the musical Kurbishutte, a group that included, among others,
George Weissel
,
[2]
Valentin Thilo
,
[3]
and
Johann Franck
. The summer-house of organist and composer
Heinrich Albert
became the meeting place of this group of poets, hymnists and musicians, who met in to create new hymns as well as to give readings of their own poetry. This group published eight books of poems and songs from 1638 to 1650, the books meeting with great success. Of the approximately 200 poems and songs contained within the books, Dach had the lion's share, with 125 being his compositions. The songs and hymns contained in these books, especially those of Dach, were sung throughout Germany and frequently appeared in pirated editions.
Later life and poetic success
[
edit
]
In Konigsberg he became friends with and collaborated with
Heinrich Albert
(1604?1651) and
Robert Roberthin
[4]
(1600?1648) and with them formed the
Konigsberger Dichtergruppe
[5]
(loosely translated as the "Konigsberg Poets' Association"). In 1639 he was appointed professor of poetry at Konigsberg through the influence of his friend Roberthin. He sang the praises of the house of the
Electors of Brandenburg
in a collection of poems entitled
Kurbrandenburgische Rose, Adler, Lowe und Scepter
(1661), and also produced many
occasional poems
, several of which became popular; the most famous of them is "Anke von Tharaw oss, de my gefollt"
Anke van Tharaw
(rendered from
Low Saxon
by
Herder
into
Standard German
as "
Annchen von Tharau
"), composed in 1637 in honor of the marriage of a friend.
[1]
Among Dach's best-known hymns, many of which are still sung, are the following: "Ich bin ja, Herr, in deiner Macht", "Ich bin bei Gott in Gnaden durch Christi Blut und Tod", and "O, wie selig seid ihr doch, ihr Frommen."
[1]
In all, he wrote over 150 hymns, and a number of poems, and was considered the leading figure of the hymnists and poets of Konigsberg.
Published works
[
edit
]
- Handbuch des Kantorendienstes: Einf. u. Handreichung zu einem wiederentdeckten Dienst in d. Gemeinde
ISBN
3-87088-144-5
Poems of note
[
edit
]
- Sonnet
- Ueber den Eingang der Schloßbrucke
(1641)
[6]
- Du Seule Brandenburgs, du Preussens Sicherheit,
- O Fridrich Wilhelm, Trost und Hoffnung vieler Lande,
- Sey willkomm deinem Volck hie an des Pregels Rande!
- Des Hochsten Ehrendienst ist wegen dein erfreut.
|
- Verspricht Uns unter Dir die alte guldne Zeit;
- Gerechtigkeit und Fried in jedem Ort und Stande
- Verknupffen dir sich fest mit einem guldnen Bande.
- Du machst, daß alles wil genesen weit und breit.
|
- In dem dein Eintzug Uns die Hoffnung aber giebet,
- So wirstu billich nie von uns auch gnug geliebet;
- O leb Uns werthes Haupt, sey Uns ein Sonnenschein,
|
- Der nimmer untergeht! schon jetzt mit deiner Jugend
- Dringt Fama durch die Welt, du wirst bey solcher Tugend
- Nicht hie nur, sonder auch im Himmel Hertzog seyn.
|
- Lied der Freundschaft
[7]
- Der Mensch hat nichts so eigen,
- So wohl steht ihm nichts an,
- Als daß er Treu erzeigen
- und Freundschaft halten kann;
- Wann er mit seinesgleichen
- Soll treten in ein Band,
- Verspricht sich nicht zu weichen,
- Mit Herzen, Mund und Hand.
|
- Was kann die Freude machen,
- Die Einsamkeit verhehlt?
- Das gibt ein doppelt Lachen,
- Was Freunden wird erzahlt.
- Der kann sein Leid vergessen,
- Der es von Herzen sagt;
- Der muß sich selbst zerfressen,
- Der in geheim sich nagt.
|
- Die Red' ist uns gegeben,
- Damit wir nicht allein
- Fur uns nur sollen leben
- Und fern von Leuten sein;
- Wir sollen uns befragen
- Und sehn auf guten Rat,
- Das Leid einander klagen,
- So uns betreten hat.
|
- Gott stehet mir vor allen,
- Die meine Seele liebt;
- Dann soll mir auch gefallen,
- Der mir sehr herzlich gibt;
- Mit diesen Bundsgesellen
- Verlach' ich Pein und Not,
- Geh' auf den Grund der Hollen
- Und breche durch den Tod.
|
- Ich hab', ich habe Herzen
- So treue, wie gebuhrt,
- Die Heuchelei und Schmerzen
- Nie wissentlich beruhrt;
- Ich bin auch ihnen wieder
- Von Grund der Seelen hold,
- Ich lieb' euch mehr, ihr Bruder,
- Als aller Erden Gold.
|
References
[
edit
]
Literature
[
edit
]
- Alexander J. Birt:
Simon Dach
. Grafe & Unzer, Konigsberg i.P. 1905.
- Bruno Nick:
Das Naturgefuhl bei Simon Dach
. ? Greifswald, Univ. Diss., 1911.
- August Gebauer (Hrsg.):
Simon Dach und seine Freunde als Kirchenlieddichter
. Osiander, Tubingen 1828.
- Heinrich Stiehler:
Simon Dach
. Hartung, Konigsberg i.P., 1896.
- Hermann Osterley:
Simon Dach
; Tubingen 1876.
- Alfred Kelletat (Hrsg.):
Simon Dach und der Konigsberger Dichterkreis
. Stuttgart: Reclam 1986.
ISBN
3-15-008281-1
- Alfred Kelletat:
Simon Dach und der Konigsberger Dichterkreis,
P. Reclam jun., 1986,
ISBN
3-15-008281-1
- Barbara Sturzenegger:
Simon Dach und Paul Fleming: Topoi der Freundschaft im 17. Jahrhundert.
Diss. Bern 1996.
- Hermann Oesterley (1876), "
Dach, Simon
",
Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie
(in German), vol. 4, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 685?688
- Axel E. Walter (Hrsg.),
Simon Dach (1605?1659)
. Berlin, de Gruyter, 2008.
- Willi Flemming (1957),
"Dach, Simon"
,
Neue Deutsche Biographie
(in German), vol. 3, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, p. 464
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Simon Dach
.
German
Wikisource
has original text related to this article:
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
Academics
| |
---|
Artists
| |
---|
People
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|