August Höpfner
August Heinrich Höpfner (born August 24, 1830 in Potsdam , † March 12, 1901 in Perleberg ) was a German teacher and the city poet of Perleberg.
Life
He was born as the son of the Potsdam master tailor Johann Höpfner, the first of eight children in the Dutch Quarter . His father wanted what he could not fulfill in his youth, the civil servant career for his eldest and was concerned about a good education. August Höpfner drew attention to himself early on by rhyming verses, especially among the notables of the city of Potsdam, who recognized his talent and encouraged him by enabling him to train as a teacher.
At the age of twenty he started teaching in Perleberg. He married Frieda Heinrichs, the daughter of a Perleberg master carpenter and furniture manufacturer. Soon he was a popular teacher and sought-after poet, who was called upon for all occasions - including patriotic ones, of course - by the citizens and associations of his new hometown.
After the councilor and brewery owner Hugo Wendt had compiled the history of the city of Perleberg over many years from the city archives, August Höpfner was commissioned by the city council to - as was the fashion at the time - to put it in verse that was published by W. Krenkel in 1876 . The success was inevitable and meant a breakthrough for him. Before that, however, the “Berlin Reim Chronicle” was published for the “Association for the History of the City of Berlin” and shortly afterwards the “Potsdam Song Chronicle” for the city of Potsdam. The death of his eldest son, who died in a tragic accident, ended his joy in poetry, so that he only occasionally devoted himself to poetry and no longer accepted any public commissions.
He was highly respected and retired in 1898 with the Red Eagle Order IV class. Today August Höpfner, the city poet, is almost forgotten. Occasionally his poems are still published.
Works
- Legends and stories of the Altmark and Priegnitz, poems; Koenig Publishing House, 1865
- Perleberger Reimchronik, Perleberg from 1200 to 1700, poems with historical notes; Bookstore W. Krenkel (commission), 1870
- Little Berlin rhyme chronicle, poems with historical remarks; Publishing house of the Royal Secret Upper Hofbuchdruckerei , 1871
- Potsdamer Lieder-Chronik, Verlag Alfred Weile, Berlin
- Postal Register , Collection of Songs and Poems, Articles and Descriptions, pp. 86–96; Publishing house of the Royal Secret Upper Hofbuchdruckerei, 1877
- Local history of the province of Brandenburg, a historical and geographical representation for schools, Alfred Weile Verlag, Berlin, 1877
- Berlin is still Berlin, a romantic story in ballads and poems, pages 28, 29, 36; Droemersche Verlagsanstalt Th. Knaur, 1987, ISBN 3426015307
source
- August Heinrich Höpfner: My way of life, 1900
Web links
- Full text of the Perleberg rhyming chronicle by August Höpfner
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Höpfner, August |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Höpfner, August Heinrich (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German teacher and the city poet von Perleberg |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 24, 1830 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Potsdam |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 12, 1901 |
| Place of death | Pearl Mountain |