Both contemporaries and posterity have always
recognized Walther von der Vogelweide as the
most influential Middle High German poet of
erotic, political, and religious songs. Although
many towns in Austria and Germany today claim
to be Walther’s birthplace, no definite information
about his biography is available.We know, however,
that he was active as a GOLIARD (wandering
poet/singer dependent on generous patrons)
sometime between 1190 and 1230, and that he
seems to have originated in Austria. In his song L.
32, 14, he confirms that he learned the art of poetry
from the famous REINMAR DER ALTE at a court
in Austria, undoubtedly Vienna. The 14th-century
notary Michael de Leone claimed that Walther
died in his city of Würzburg, but even this is uncertain
despite a modern tomb erected in his
honor behind the Würzburg cathedral. Two important
manuscripts, the Manessische Liederhandschrift
(C) and the Weingartner Liederhandschrift
(B), identify Walther by the German title her
(lord), which suggests that he might have been of
lower nobility, but his poetic complaints about
poverty and social misery speak a different language.
In 1220, Emperor Frederick II gave him a
small estate which he hailed jubilantly because it
would keep the frost away from his toes (L. 28, 31).
Walther is the first medieval German poet also
to address political events and to reflect upon their
consequences for his own life. He often spent time
at the various royal courts in Germany and clearly
took sides in the political struggles on the highest
level, which also included heavy criticism of the
pope and the church.We know that Walther stood
in the service of Bishop Wolfger of Erla, the later
patriarch of Aquileia, who gave him five shillings
to buy a fur coat in 1203, the only concrete reference
in any historical document confirming the biographical
dates both of Walther and many of his
contemporaries who refer to him. He also seems
to have served as a political emissary for highranking
lords.Walther’s particular praise of his various
patrons extends to the Hohenstaufen kings
Philipp and Frederick II, the Thuringian margrave
Hermann, and Duke Leopold VI of Austria.
Walther is particularly famous for his innovative
COURTLY LOVE poetry in which he clearly projects
fulfilled love relationships, such as in his bestknown
“Under der linden” (L. 39, 1).Moreover he
critically discusses the traditional value of unrequited
love and rejects the poems of his predecessors
for their artificial projection of love pain. In
“Herzeliebez frowelîn” (L. 49, 5) Walther skillfully
contrasts the glass ring on the hand of his beloved,
who has obviously accepted his wooing, with the
golden ring on the hand of a distant queen, who
would not even pay attention to his words of love.
Walther also raises the significant question of what
the meaning of courtly love (minne) might be and
insists that love should lead to happiness (L. 69, 1).
In a political song he sings a praise of Germany (L.
56, 14), then he criticizes the widespread decline of
courtly culture (L. 65, 31), and positions himself as
courtly love poet in the center of all cultural activity
(L. 72, 31). Surprisingly Walther also addresses the
question of how to educate children properly (L. 87,
1), reflects upon the problems with old age (L. 124,
1), and ruminates about fundamental ethical and
political questions (L. 8, 4).
Considering the enormous appeal exerted by
Walther, the innovative nature of his poetry, and
the boldness with which he dealt with many hotly
disputed issues of his time, there is little surprise
that his songs have been preserved in 36 manuscripts
that were created all over the Germanspeaking
lands.
Bibliography
Walther von der Vogelweide. Leich, Lieder, Sangsprüche.
Edited by Christoph Cormeau. 14th rev.
ed. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1996.
Zeydel, Edwin H., and Bayard Quincy Morgan, trans.
Walther von der Vogelweide: The Poems. Ithaca,
N.Y.: Thrift, 1952.
Albrecht Classen