German literature of the High Middle Ages
The courtly poetry in Middle High German language originated about 1,180 to 1,300.
Courtly epic
Classical Middle High German literature begins with Heinrichs von Veldeke Eneit and Erec Hartmanns von Aue (around 1180) , in which the courtly epic, alongside the Minnesian poetry and heroic poetry, forms the focus of German poetry around 1200. As a rule, one follows Western models, in terms of content more in line with Anglo-Saxon culture (legends about King Arthur ), formally more in line with French literature of the 12th century. An outstanding example would be the old French Perceval des Chrétien de Troyes , the content of which is based on the Arthurian saga.
The high point of the era with their works are the poets Wolfram von Eschenbach, especially with his works Parzival and Titurel as well as Gottfried von Strasbourg with Tristan .
Fabrics from the saga of Charlemagne were also treated with preference. So transmitted z. B. Konrad the Pfaffe wrote the Roland song from the French around 1170 .
The Wigalois des Wirnt von Grafenberg is already regarded as a post-classical Arthurian novel from around 1210. Around 1240 Rudolf von Ems created the verse novel Willehalm von Orlens and around 1260–75 the younger Titurel Albrechts is added.
Poetry
The love poetry of the high Middle Ages, as far as it has been handed down in writing, was minnesong ; Countless aristocratic and non-aristocratic poets from Kürenberger (around 1150 or later) to Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377–1445) expressed the veneration of noble women in artful, strictly ritualized forms. This movement reached its climax with Walther von der Vogelweide and Heinrich von Morungen . In addition, Walther von der Vogelweide commented on events in the history of the empire and on moral problems in his singing sayings and thus became the model and inspiration for numerous poets after him, who, like himself , were dependent on the favor of princely patrons (and "sing their songs") had to).
Heroic epic (poetry, songs)
Another form of epic is found in the strophic formulated and courtly implemented heroic epic , the material basis of which is older heroic songs and legends . Such designs can be found in the Middle High German Nibelungenlied (around 1200), in the Kudrun (around 1240) and in the somewhat more recent epics about Dietrich von Bern (around 1300).