Nikolaus Becker

Nikolaus Becker (also Nicolaus Becker, born October 8, 1809 in Bonn, † August 28 1845 in Hünshoven, today a district of Geilenkirchen ) was known as the poet of the "Rhine song".

Life

Nikolaus Becker studied law, in 1838 Auskultator and later a clerk in a Magistrates' Court.

Rhine song

He gained his reputation in 1840 by the song: you shall not have it, free, German Rhine, until a flood buried, the last man's bones, which found acclaim as a popular expression of German national sentiment. By " they " were meant to the French. The song reflects the Rhine crisis between France and the German Confederation.

The Prussian " Romantic on the Throne " Friedrich Wilhelm IV on the poet had an honorarium of 1,000 thalers, and King Ludwig of Bavaria sent him a special cup. He was also an honorary member of the Bonner cockchafer covenant.

From the Rhine song, there were over 70 compositions. As the song came too close to the French national pride, it called forth in France responses. Among these was distinguished by Alfred de Musset: Nous avons eu l', votre Rhin allemand by arrogance, while Lamartine Friedensmarseillaise struck (1841 ) conciliatory strings.

Becker's collected poems (Cologne 1841) were insignificant and soon forgotten.

Criticism

Heinrich Heine criticizes the anti- France chauvinism of the song and lets in Germany. The Winter's Tale 's " Father Rhine " even comment:

To Biberich I swallowed stones, Indeed, they did not taste delicious! but heavy on the stomach me the verses of Niklas Becker.

Monument

The Cologne sculptor Heinrich Eschweiler created a monument with a relief image of the poet, which was unveiled on 13 August 1899 in Geilenkirchen. The monument was destroyed in the Second World War. Nikolaus Becker relief image was salvaged from the wreckage and integrated into a new plaque on the Catholic Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Hünshoven.