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August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798–1874)
Hoffmann von Fallersleben, August Heinrich (hof’män), commonly called Hoffmann von Fallersleben. A celebrated German philologist and poet; born at Fallersleben, district of Lüneburg, April 2, 1798; died at Castle of Korvei, on the Weser, Prussia, Jan. 19, 1874. He was destined for theology, but having made the acquaintance of the brothers Grimm, he devoted himself to philological studies and traveled through the Rhine countries and Holland in search of popular poetry. In 1830 he was appointed professor of German literature, but the publication of his ‘Unpolitical Songs’ (1840–41), in spite of their innocent title, led to his dismissal. For several years afterward he wandered through Europe until restored to favor in 1848. His own ‘Poems’ (1834); ‘German Street Songs’ (1843); ‘Soldier Songs’ (1851–52); etc., are characterized by genuine simplicity and pathos; and his other publications—‘Belgian Hours’ (1830–52), a collection of Low German folk-songs; ‘Foundations for the History of the German Language and Literature’ (1830–37); ‘History of German Church Hymn’ (1832),—are of great philological value.