Wilhelmina Koch
Wilhelmina ( known as Mina or Minna ) Amalie Koch ( born Schapper; born February 22, 1845 in Waldböckelheim on the Nahe, † March 6, 1924 in Stolp, Pomerania ) was a composer of sacred and secular song melodies, biblical motets as well as choral and instrumental music. Is known for her melody to Adolf Krummacher poem star, to which I look (EC No. 407 ). It is one of only two women whose melody composition have been included in the main part of the Protestant hymn book.
Life
Mina Cook was born as the second child of Waldböckelheim Heimer pastor Karl August Schapper ( 1815-1898 ). In the sibling group of six children, she spent her childhood in Munster am Stein in Bad Kreuznach, in Kleinrechtenbach at Wetzlar and in Koblenz. When she was eleven years old her mother died Amalie Schapper born Weinrich ( 1816-1856 ).
Her father was appointed in 1860 as professor and director of the Royal Seminary and Superintendent to Wittenberg. The family moved there the large parsonage on the church square, where even Johann Bugenhagen had lived and where Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon had a come and gone. Mina Cook spent the first years in a Töchterpensionat in Droyßig in Zeitz, where they also celebrated the confirmation. Great influence exerted on them the Wittenberg town church organist and music director Carl Stein (1824-1902), in which she had music lessons and harmony.
On April 27, 1865 was married in the Wittenberg church by her father with the pastor August Koch ( 1836-1910 ). Mina Cook became the mother of ten children, two of which already died in early years.
1876 the family moved to Elberfeld in the Bergische Land, where August Koch took a pastorate of the Lutheran church, and later, the Superintendent held office. Here the family was the community movement in close connection. During a visit in 1887 with her brother Charles, who was married in the United Möringen near Stendal and the daughter Johanna of court chaplain and parish priest Adolf Krummenacher ( 1824-1884 ) pastor, they learned the poem " star, to which I look " know they very internalized and to which they composed the popular tune.
At the age of 50 years, Mina cooking blind.
After his retirement in 1906, the couple moved to Koch Wernigerode am Harz. Here the man died in 1910. At the age of 78 years, Mina Cook moved to her youngest daughter to Stolp in Pomerania. A year later she died and was buried on 12 March 1924 in Wernigerode at her husband's side - to give the cemetery, where there was also the grave of Adolf Krummenacher.