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Old High German literature

February 16, 2024

Old High German literature refers to literature written in Old High German, from the earliest texts in the 8th century to the middle of the 11th century.

Scope edit

The term "literature" as it is used in connection with Old High German has a broader scope than for later periods in the history of German: it is not restricted to imaginative works but encompasses everything written in the language, including prayers and theological works as well as verse narratives.[1][2] The surviving texts were written exclusively by clerics, in the main monks in a small number of monastic scriptoria, and serve almost entirely the purposes of the church in a region that was still being fully Christianized. Pre-Christian and non-clerical literary traditions are reflected in a small number of works, such as the Hildebrandslied and the charms, but otherwise there is little surviving evidence of the oral culture which must have been present outside clerical circles.[3]

The earliest texts date from the second half of the 8th century: translation aids (glosses and glossaries) for those learning to read Latin and translations of Latin Christian texts (prayers, creeds, confessions) for use in missionary or pastoral work among the lay population. Translations and, later, adaptations of Latin Christian texts, continue throughout the period, and are seen in Otfrid's gospel harmony in the 9th century and the extensive works of Notker III in the early 11th century. After Notker, there is gap of some 40 years before evidence of a new tradition of biblical verse in a form of language now called Early Middle High German, which is followed by the flourishing secular literature of Middle High German.[4]

Language edit

 
Map showing the main Old High German scriptoria and the areas of the Old High German "monastery dialects"

The Old High German period sees the first attempts to use the Latin alphabet for writing German, something which Otfrid of Weissenburg, writing c. 830, recognized as fraught with difficulty.[5] As Murdoch explains, "Written down without prescriptive rules in more or less isolated monasteries, then, it is to be expected that Old High (and Old Low) German texts show a bewildering amount of linguistic variation."[6] The result is that there is no standard Old High German — each text presents a particular dialect (or dialect mixture), and in the absence of contemporary evidence for dialect boundaries, they have been termed "monastery dialects" (German Klosterdialekte).[7]

Genres edit

Epic Poetry edit

The most famous work in OHG is the Hildebrandslied, a short piece of Germanic alliterative heroic verse which besides the Muspilli is the sole survivor of what must have been a vast oral tradition.

Lyric Poetry edit

Works include the short but splendid Ludwigslied, celebrating the victory of the Frankish army, led by Louis III of France, over Danish (Viking) raiders at the Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu on 3 August 881. There is also the incomplete Das Georgslied about the life of Saint George, and the Wessobrunn Prayer, a praise of Creation and a plea for strength to withstand sin.

Other Literature edit

Works include the Evangelienbuch of Otfrid von Weissenburg, the Latin-German dictionary Abrogans, the magical Merseburg Charms and the Old High German translation of the theologian Tatian's Gospel harmony.

Text collections edit

  • Braune, Wilhelm; Ebbinghaus, Ernst A., eds. (1994). Althochdeutsches Lesebuch: Zusammengestellt und mit Wörterbuch versehen (17th ed.). Tübingen. ISBN 3-484-10707-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
    • Braune, Wilhelm, ed. (1921). Althochdeutsches Lesebuch: Zusammengestellt und mit Wörterbuch versehen (8th ed.). Halle: Niemeyer.
  • Steinmeyer, Elias von (1916). Die kleineren althochdeutschen Sprachdenkmäler. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung.
  • Schlosser, Horst-Dieter, ed. (2004). Althochdeutsche Literatur: Mit altniederdeutschen Textbeispielen. Auswahl mit Übertragungen und Kommentar. Berlin: Erich Schmidt. ISBN 978-3503079032.(with German translations)
  • Müller, Stephan, ed. (2018). Althochdeutsche Literatur. Eine kommentierte Anthologie. Stuttgart: Reclam. ISBN 978-3-15-018491-2.(with German translations)

Notes edit

  1. ^ Bostock 1976, p. 3.
  2. ^ Müller 2018, pp. 17–18.
  3. ^ Bostock 1976, pp. 3–4.
  4. ^ West 2004, p. 227.
  5. ^ Archibald 2007, p. 142.
  6. ^ Murdoch 2004, p. 16.
  7. ^ Wells 1987, pp. 44, 50–53.

Sources edit

  • Archibald, Linda (2004). "Otfrid of Weissenburg". In Murdoch, Brian (ed.). German Literature of the Early Middle Ages. New York, Woodbridge: Camden House. pp. 139–156. ISBN 1-57113-240-6.
  • Bostock, J. Knight (1976). King, K. C.; McLintock, D. R. (eds.). A Handbook on Old High German Literature (2nd ed.). Oxford. ISBN 0-19-815392-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • de Boor, Helmut (1971). Geschichte der deutschen Literatur. Vol. Band I. Von Karl dem Großen bis zum Beginn der höfischen Literatur 770-1170. München: C.H.Beck. ISBN 3-406-00703-1.
  • Gibbs, Marion; Johnson, Sidney, eds. (2002). Medieval German Literature: A Companion. New York, London: Routledge. ISBN 0-203-90660-8.
  • Haubrichs, Wolfgang (1995). Die Anfänge: Versuche volkssprachlicher Schriftlichkeit im frühen Mittelalter (ca. 700-1050/60). Geschichte der deutschen Literatur von den Anfängen bis zum Beginn der Neuzeit. Vol. 1/1 (2nd ed.). Tübingen: Niemeyer. ISBN 978-3484107014.
  • Murdoch, Murdoch, ed. (2004). German Literature of the Early Middle Ages. The Camden House History of German Literature. Vol. 2. New York, Woodbridge: Camden House. ISBN 1-57113-240-6.
  • Sonderegger, Stefan (2003). Althochdeutsche Sprache und Literatur (3rd ed.). de Gruyter. ISBN 3-11-004559-1.
  • Wells, C. J. (1987). German: A Linguistic History to 1945. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-815809-2.
  • West, Jonathan (2004). "Late Old High German Prose". In Murdoch, Brian (ed.). German Literature of the Early Middle Ages. New York, Woodbridge: Camden House. pp. 227–245. ISBN 1-57113-240-6.
  • Young, Christopher; Gloning, Thomas (2004). A History of the German Language through texts. London, New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-18331-6.

External links edit

  • Bibliotheca Germanica: Althochdeutsche Epoche (manuscript images with transcription and Modern German translation)

February 16, 2024
high, german, literature, refers, literature, written, high, german, from, earliest, texts, century, middle, 11th, century, contents, scope, language, genres, epic, poetry, lyric, poetry, other, literature, text, collections, notes, sources, external, linkssco. Old High German literature refers to literature written in Old High German from the earliest texts in the 8th century to the middle of the 11th century Contents 1 Scope 2 Language 3 Genres 3 1 Epic Poetry 3 2 Lyric Poetry 3 3 Other Literature 4 Text collections 5 Notes 6 Sources 7 External linksScope editThe term literature as it is used in connection with Old High German has a broader scope than for later periods in the history of German it is not restricted to imaginative works but encompasses everything written in the language including prayers and theological works as well as verse narratives 1 2 The surviving texts were written exclusively by clerics in the main monks in a small number of monastic scriptoria and serve almost entirely the purposes of the church in a region that was still being fully Christianized Pre Christian and non clerical literary traditions are reflected in a small number of works such as the Hildebrandslied and the charms but otherwise there is little surviving evidence of the oral culture which must have been present outside clerical circles 3 The earliest texts date from the second half of the 8th century translation aids glosses and glossaries for those learning to read Latin and translations of Latin Christian texts prayers creeds confessions for use in missionary or pastoral work among the lay population Translations and later adaptations of Latin Christian texts continue throughout the period and are seen in Otfrid s gospel harmony in the 9th century and the extensive works of Notker III in the early 11th century After Notker there is gap of some 40 years before evidence of a new tradition of biblical verse in a form of language now called Early Middle High German which is followed by the flourishing secular literature of Middle High German 4 Language edit nbsp Map showing the main Old High German scriptoria and the areas of the Old High German monastery dialects The Old High German period sees the first attempts to use the Latin alphabet for writing German something which Otfrid of Weissenburg writing c 830 recognized as fraught with difficulty 5 As Murdoch explains Written down without prescriptive rules in more or less isolated monasteries then it is to be expected that Old High and Old Low German texts show a bewildering amount of linguistic variation 6 The result is that there is no standard Old High German each text presents a particular dialect or dialect mixture and in the absence of contemporary evidence for dialect boundaries they have been termed monastery dialects German Klosterdialekte 7 Genres editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Epic Poetry edit The most famous work in OHG is the Hildebrandslied a short piece of Germanic alliterative heroic verse which besides the Muspilli is the sole survivor of what must have been a vast oral tradition Lyric Poetry edit Works include the short but splendid Ludwigslied celebrating the victory of the Frankish army led by Louis III of France over Danish Viking raiders at the Battle of Saucourt en Vimeu on 3 August 881 There is also the incomplete Das Georgslied about the life of Saint George and the Wessobrunn Prayer a praise of Creation and a plea for strength to withstand sin Other Literature edit Works include the Evangelienbuch of Otfrid von Weissenburg the Latin German dictionary Abrogans the magical Merseburg Charms and the Old High German translation of the theologian Tatian s Gospel harmony Text collections editBraune Wilhelm Ebbinghaus Ernst A eds 1994 Althochdeutsches Lesebuch Zusammengestellt und mit Worterbuch versehen 17th ed Tubingen ISBN 3 484 10707 3 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Braune Wilhelm ed 1921 Althochdeutsches Lesebuch Zusammengestellt und mit Worterbuch versehen 8th ed Halle Niemeyer Steinmeyer Elias von 1916 Die kleineren althochdeutschen Sprachdenkmaler Berlin Weidmannsche Buchhandlung Schlosser Horst Dieter ed 2004 Althochdeutsche Literatur Mit altniederdeutschen Textbeispielen Auswahl mit Ubertragungen und Kommentar Berlin Erich Schmidt ISBN 978 3503079032 with German translations Muller Stephan ed 2018 Althochdeutsche Literatur Eine kommentierte Anthologie Stuttgart Reclam ISBN 978 3 15 018491 2 with German translations Notes edit Bostock 1976 p 3 Muller 2018 pp 17 18 Bostock 1976 pp 3 4 West 2004 p 227 Archibald 2007 p 142 sfn error no target CITEREFArchibald2007 help Murdoch 2004 p 16 Wells 1987 pp 44 50 53 Sources editArchibald Linda 2004 Otfrid of Weissenburg In Murdoch Brian ed German Literature of the Early Middle Ages New York Woodbridge Camden House pp 139 156 ISBN 1 57113 240 6 Bostock J Knight 1976 King K C McLintock D R eds A Handbook on Old High German Literature 2nd ed Oxford ISBN 0 19 815392 9 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link de Boor Helmut 1971 Geschichte der deutschen Literatur Vol Band I Von Karl dem Grossen bis zum Beginn der hofischen Literatur 770 1170 Munchen C H Beck ISBN 3 406 00703 1 Gibbs Marion Johnson Sidney eds 2002 Medieval German Literature A Companion New York London Routledge ISBN 0 203 90660 8 Haubrichs Wolfgang 1995 Die Anfange Versuche volkssprachlicher Schriftlichkeit im fruhen Mittelalter ca 700 1050 60 Geschichte der deutschen Literatur von den Anfangen bis zum Beginn der Neuzeit Vol 1 1 2nd ed Tubingen Niemeyer ISBN 978 3484107014 Murdoch Murdoch ed 2004 German Literature of the Early Middle Ages The Camden House History of German Literature Vol 2 New York Woodbridge Camden House ISBN 1 57113 240 6 Sonderegger Stefan 2003 Althochdeutsche Sprache und Literatur 3rd ed de Gruyter ISBN 3 11 004559 1 Wells C J 1987 German A Linguistic History to 1945 Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 815809 2 West Jonathan 2004 Late Old High German Prose In Murdoch Brian ed German Literature of the Early Middle Ages New York Woodbridge Camden House pp 227 245 ISBN 1 57113 240 6 Young Christopher Gloning Thomas 2004 A History of the German Language through texts London New York Routledge ISBN 0 415 18331 6 External links editBibliotheca Germanica Althochdeutsche Epoche manuscript images with transcription and Modern German translation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old High German literature amp oldid 1189764148, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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