Reinmar von Zweter (also spelled Reymar von Zwetel, Reymar von Zweten, Römer von Zwickau, Ehrenbote,
born around 1200 in Zeutern, today known as
Ubstadt-Weiher
Ubstadt-Weiher is a municipality in northern Karlsruhe district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe ...
, Germany; died after 1248) was a
Middle High German poet of
Spruchdichtung. The iconography in the Manesse Codex (see illustration) suggests that he may have been blind, since he is the only person represented in the manuscript with closed eyes and other people writing. The caption, not shown here, of that miniature refers to him as "Herr" (then spelled "Her") Reinmar, implying that he was a knight and that he became blind (if he was blind) in adulthood.
Life
According to his writings, he was "born at the
Rhine and grown up in
Austria". He started his work as a poet around 1227 in Austria. Living under
Leopold VI of Austria and
Frederick II, Duke of Austria, his writings indicate a stay in
Bohemia under
Venceslas I of Bohemia. Apparently, Reinmar was continuously on the move after 1241. His last confirmed writing dates to 1248.
Work
He is considered an important poet, between
Walther von der Vogelweide
Walther von der Vogelweide (c. 1170c. 1230) was a Minnesänger who composed and performed love-songs and political songs (" Sprüche") in Middle High German. Walther has been described as the greatest German lyrical poet before Goethe; his hundr ...
and
Heinrich Frauenlob
Heinrich Frauenlob (between 1250 and 1260 – 29 November 1318), sometimes known as Henry of Meissen (''Heinrich von Meißen''), was a Middle High German literature, Middle High German poet, a representative of both the ''Spruchdichtung, Sangspruch ...
.
Cultural references
He is featured as a minor character in Richard Wagner's opera ''
Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (; gmh, Tanhûser), often stylized, "The Tannhäuser," was a German Minnesinger and traveling poet. Historically, his biography, including the dates he lived, is obscure beyond the poetry, which suggests he lived between 1245 and ...
'', alongside other poets of the time such as the aforementioned
Walther von der Vogelweide
Walther von der Vogelweide (c. 1170c. 1230) was a Minnesänger who composed and performed love-songs and political songs (" Sprüche") in Middle High German. Walther has been described as the greatest German lyrical poet before Goethe; his hundr ...
and
Wolfram von Eschenbach
Wolfram von Eschenbach (; – ) was a German knight, poet and composer, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of medieval German literature. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry.
Life
Little is known of Wolfram's life. There ar ...
.
References
Further reading
*
*
Minnesingers
Year of birth uncertain
13th-century deaths
German male poets
Medieval German musicians
13th-century German poets
{{Germany-poet-stub