Süßkind von Trimberg
Süßkind von Trimberg (or Suesskind of Trimberg) is given as the author of six poems in the
The town of
Historicity
There are no records about Suesskind's life and not even proof that the poems recorded under his name are from a single author. Yet Suesskind (
Frontispiece
The frontispiece preceding Süßkind's works in the
The subject of their discourse is a matter of controversy. It has been interpreted as a recitation of verse by the poet before an episcopal audience; a legal proceeding between Süßkind and two Christians presided over by the bishop;[1] or a theological debate between Christianity and Judaism.[2]
Poems
While most of the content of Codex Manesse is Minnesang, Suesskind was not a minnesinger, his poems belonging to the more general category of medieval Spruchdichtung.
He sang of the worth of the virtuous wife (III,2), and of the hunger and misery of his children (V,1). There are possible allusions to
In one of the last poems in the Codex (V,2) he bitterly complains that he fooled himself with his attempts to be an artist ("Ich var ûf der tôren vart / mit mîner künste zwâre"), that he is now determined to let his grey beard grow long and henceforth go his way humbly as a Jew, wrapped in a long coat, his hat pulled deep in his face, and won't sing any chivalrous ("hovelîchen") song, since the noblemen ("herren") won't grant him any further support.
The most characteristic of his poems is the Fable of the Wolf, where a wolf complains about his bad reputation, and argues that he is innocent because he is forced to steal geese to survive, while the false man does much greater damage.
Modern reception
As the only Jewish poet of the Codex Manesse, Suesskind was the subject of particular attention in scholarship since the 18th century. His historicity was controversially debated, his poems were translated into modern German and into Polish. Gerhardt (1997) is a summary of the history of the modern reception of the Suesskind poems.
Friedrich Torberg wrote a fictionalized biography of the poet, entitled Süsskind von Trimberg (Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1972).
Notes
- ^ Jahrmärker, Manuela. “Die Miniatur Süßkinds von Trimberg in der Manessischen Liederhandschrift.” Euphorion 81 (1987): 330-346.
- ^ Hausmann, Albrecht. “Das Bild zu Süßkind von Trimberg in der Manessischen Liederhandschrift.” In Kulturen der Manuskriptzeitalters. Ergebnisse der amerikanisch-Deutschen Arbeitstagung an der Georg-August-Üniversität Göttingen vom 17. bis 20. Oktober 2002, eds. Arthur Groos and Hans-Jochen Schiewer, 87-112. Göttingen: V&R unipress, 2004.
References and further reading
- Gerhardt, Dietrich. Süsskind von Trimberg. Berichtigungen zu einer Erinnerung. Lang, Bern u.a. 1997, ISBN 3-906757-01-3
- Hausmann, Albrecht. "Das Bild zu Süßkind von Trimberg in der Manessischen Liederhandschrift." In Kulturen der Manuskriptzeitalters. Ergebnisse der amerikanisch-Deutschen Arbeitstagung an der Georg-August-Üniversität Göttingen vom 17. bis 20. Oktober 2002, eds. Arthur Groos and Hans-Jochen Schiewer, 87-112. Göttingen: V&R unipress, 2004.
- Jahrmärker, Manuela. “Die Miniatur Süßkinds von Trimberg in der Manessischen Liederhandschrift.” Euphorion 81 (1987): 330-346.
- Jewish Encyclopedia
- Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xxxvii.334-336.
External links
- Online-Gesamtkatalog der Deutschen Bibliothek (in German)
- Art of the States: The Resounding Lyre Musical setting of "Wâhebûf und Nichtenvint"
- Süezkint der Jude von Trimperg um 1280 at Bibliotheca Augustana (in German)
- Why Should I Wander Sadly? at Bartleby.com
- Süsskind von Trimberg The Jewish Quarterly Review, Oct. 1, 1902