I hân mîn lêhen
Ich hân mîn lêhen (Lachmann 28,31) is a poem by Walther von der Vogelweide , which can be found in the Manessian song manuscript. The poem is part of King Friedrichston's, in which it is the tenth saying. Walther expresses his gratitude for receiving a fief. He probably received this fiefdom after a pleading strophe to Friedrich II. This verse is recorded in the same tone and is called Von Rôme voget, von Pülle künic(Lachmann 28.1). However, it is unknown what kind of fief Walther got. It could be a house or a piece of land, but it could also be a pension, although this is rather doubted by research. In any case, it secured Walther's income. The saying is dated to around 1220 AD. It is one of the most famous poems by Walther von der Vogelweide.
text
[28.31] I hân mîn lêhen, al die werlt, I hân mîn lêhen.
nûte i nuht the hornunc to the toes,
and will all evil hear dester minre flea.
the noble künec, the milte künec advised me
that I could breathe the sumer and be warm in the winter.
mîn nâhgebûren I dunk verre baz getân:
you don't look at me mêr in butzen wîs as si wîlent tâten.
[29,1] I've been poor for a long time ân mînen danc.
I was full of scolding daz mîn âten stanc: then
the art had made pure, and dar zuo mînen sanc.
(Lachmann)
Comments from Lachmann: 36th minen (C), 1st arn (C)
New High German translation:
I have my fief, all the world, I have my fief!
Now I no longer fear February on my toes
and I will no longer ask all bad men for anything.
The noble king, the benevolent king made sure
that I had cool air in summer and warmth in winter.
I am much more valued by my neighbors:
they no longer see me as a bogeyman, as they once did.
I've been poor too long through no fault of my own;
I was so scolded that my breath stank.
The king made that pure and my singing along with it.
interpretation
The fiefdom is a returning theme in Walther's poetry. Twice he asks for a fief in Friedrichston, namely in 27.7 and in 28.1. The first is about an unusable fiefdom. The criticism expressed has little to do with this verse, as it is very unlikely that the fief here is money. It is more about a piece of land or a small house.
In the stanza Walther von der Vogelweide shows his thanks for the receipt of his fiefdom. The consequences are emphasized here: Walther no longer needs to fear the hornunc, February. February is the coldest month of the year and is used here as pars pro toto for winter. Nor does he have to ask bad masters any more. It is assumed that he is referring to Otto IV, who is named in 26.23 as the manne boeste. After that, Walther forfeits further thanks. At the end of the poem he emphasizes that he no longer has to sing petition verses and can now devote himself to other topics.
Genus and form
The stanza belongs to the Friedrichston, which is to be subordinated to the singing poetry . The chant poetry is a more politically engaged type of poetry that makes reference to reality. The request for a fief and giving thanks for the receipt of the fief are therefore not unusual topics.
The verse poetry originally had four-part verses and was written with pair rhymes. This later changed, resulting in other rhyme forms and meters. The rhyme scheme of this tone, and therefore of this stanza, is AAA BCCB EEE. The first three and last three lines are written in pair rhymes, but in between there are looping rhymes.
Metrically, each verse has 13 syllables. Verses 2 and 3 have no upbeat, which means that the emphasis is on the second word. Verse 6 has a two-syllable prelude: the emphasis is on nâh fees . In verses 4, 7 and 10 there are some three-syllable internal bars : künic der and künic hât in verse 4, see me and know as si in verse 7 and künic ge in verse 10. Here the emphasis is on the first syllable and two follow unstressed syllables.
Dating
It is generally believed that Walther received his fiefdom in 1220 AD. 1220 is the year in which Frederick went to Italy. After that he did not enter Germany during Walther's lifetime. In the feudal request (28,1) Walther speaks of nôt . It is believed that this is the king's plight as he had to leave for the crusade. He had already promised this in 1215, but it didn't look like he would be able to go on the crusade until 1220. The held in 1220 court day in Frankfurt is generally seen as the moment when Walther received his fief.
However, Karl Bertau assumes that the fief was given earlier. In his opinion, it is "ridiculous" that the king should give Walther an enfeoffment before he leaves. Bertau rather believes that the fiefdom was given on one of the Würzburg farm days in 1216, 1218 and 1219. Therefore, he dates the feudal request as early as 1215, when Friedrich was crowned king. He named the Würzburg area because Walther was most likely buried there.
Tradition and handwriting
Unlike the feudal request, which has been handed down in five different manuscripts, the fiefdom is only handed down in the Manessian song manuscript (C).
In this manuscript there are still a few stanzas that have to do with the fiefdom. The relationship with Lachmann 27.7, in which Walther ironically refers to a fiefdom, is doubtful. Probably this stanza does not refer to this fiefdom. There are probably two more women's award songs in connection with the feudal request, namely Lachmann 27.17 (Durhsüezet and geblüemet sint the pure frouwen) and 27.27 (Vil süeze frowe hôhgelopt with pure goodness). These could be considered further stanzas of thanks.
literature
- Karl Lachmann (1923): The poems of Walther von der Vogelweide , 8th edition, Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin, p. 37.
- Translation by Margherita Kuhn (2005), in: German poetry of the early and high Middle Ages , 2nd edition, Deutscher Klassiker Verlag , Frankfurt am Main, pp. 509/511.
- Manfred Günther Scholz (2005): Walther von der Vogelweide , 2nd edition, JB Metzler , Stuttgart, pp. 15-16.
- Günter Schweikle (1994): Walther von der Vogelweide - Works: Complete Edition, Volume 1: Spruchlyrik , 1st edition, Reclam , Stuttgart, pp. 380–381.
