Der von Kürenberg
Encyclopedia
Old High German
The term Old High German refers to the earliest stage of the German language and it conventionally covers the period from around 500 to 1050. Coherent written texts do not appear until the second half of the 8th century, and some treat the period before 750 as 'prehistoric' and date the start of...
language.
He was a nobleman, possibly from the area around the actual city of Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
. Some of the 14 stanzas that appear in Minnesangsfrühling group themselves into poems. His poems were most likely written before the concept of ideal courtly love was formulated. As their subject they have a more direct and less stylized relationship. Some are in dialogue form (Wechsel
Wechsel
Wechsler is a German word meaning "exchanger" . Wechsler may refer to:-Surnames:* David Wechsler, psychologist* Henry Wechsler, researcher* Herbert Wechsler, legal scholar* James Wechsler, journalist...
). The best known poem is the "falcon song". It is possible that both stanzas were spoken by a woman (it could also be argued that they were written by a woman). His poetry, as well as that of Dietmar von Eist (Aist), suggest that there may have existed a poetic form indigenous to the Upper Germany/Austria territory before the impact of the Provençal influence.
His poems contrast sharply with those of the later convention. So much so that some have been tempted to suggest that he disapproved of them. (But as Walsche says: This would be presuming too much). His poems are composed almost exclusively in an old Danubic form which is called the Nibelungenstrophe (the Germanic long-line). Most of his poems tell little stories. In one of the poems a woman stands and listens to the song of one knight among all the others. The knight sings "in Kürenberges wise". She states that "either he must leave the country, or she will enjoy his love." The poet's response is to call for his horse and armour and flee. This lady is unique in the poetry of the time in that she wishes to compel the knight's love and seeks to fulfill the promised eroticism of the knight's song. Strangely, one is left with the feeling that the knight was shocked to have been taken seriously. Der von Kürenberg paints bold images with few words and creates men and women who are bold and confident. The impression he leaves seems more true to what one might expect the men and women of a warrior-aristocracy to be like than that portrayed in the following generation's poetry.
Life
Like AvaAva (poet)
The poet Ava , also known as Frau Ava, Ava of Göttweig or Ava of Melk, was the first named female writer in any genre in the German language.-Life:...
, the first named female poet writing in German, der Kürenberger lived and worked in the area along the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
river between Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. Conventionally he is associated with Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
. He was of knightly family and one of the early travelling singers (Minnesinger) common in this area.
Work
His poems were written in Middle High GermanMiddle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
between 1150 and 1170. Fourteen or fifteen of his verses have been preserved in the Codex Manesse
Codex Manesse
The Codex Manesse, Manesse Codex, or Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift is a Liederhandschrift , the single most comprehensive source of Middle High German Minnesang poetry, written and illustrated between ca. 1304 when the main part was completed, and ca...
, some of which may belong together as poems; the Falcon Song ("Falkenlied") below is the best known. Sometimes he is cited as the author of the Nibelungenlied
Nibelungenlied
The Nibelungenlied, translated as The Song of the Nibelungs, is an epic poem in Middle High German. The story tells of dragon-slayer Siegfried at the court of the Burgundians, how he was murdered, and of his wife Kriemhild's revenge....
, on the basis of the similarity of verse form, although on grounds of chronology this is extremely unlikely.
| Original text | English translation |
|---|---|
Ich zôch mir einen valken mêre danne ein jâr. dô ich in gezamete als ich in wolte hân und ich im sîn gevidere mit golde wol bewant, er huop sich ûf vil hôhe und floug in anderiu lant. Sît sach ich den valken schône fliegen: er fuorte an sînem fuoze sîdîne riemen, und was im sîn gevidere alrôt guldîn. got sende si zesamene die gerne geliep wellen sin! |
I brought up a falcon for more than a year. When I had him tamed as I wanted And when I had adorned his feathers with gold, He hopped up into the sky and flew to another land. Since then I have seen the falcon flying: He wore silken jesses on his feet, And his feathers were all red-gold. God bring together those who want to love each other! |
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