HEINRICH VON VELDEKE

(ca. 1160–ca. 1200)

Originating from the Limbourg area, today in eastern Belgium,Heinrich von Veldeke became the “father” of Middle High German literature when he translated the famous FrenchRoman d’Eneas. His romanceEneitbasically introduced secular literature informed by classical antiquity to his German audiences. He completed about three-fourths of his work (10,934 verses) by 1174, and presented the poem during wedding celebrations at the court of Cleve (in northwestern Germany). After he had lent the manuscript to Countess Margarete of Cleve, Count Heinrich, the brother of the Thuringian landgrave Ludwig III, stole it and took it with him. Only in 1183 did Heinrich von Veldeke regain the manuscript from Hermann, count of the Palatinate Saxony and successor of Ludwig III, and complete his work upon Hermann’s and his brother Friedrich’s invitation.Whereas in Virgil’s classical version the narrative became the basis for a national-Roman epic, both the French author and Heinrich transformed it into an early courtly romance.The ancient source emphasized the historical, military, and religious aspects, making Aeneas into the true founder of the Roman Empire. By contrast the medieval text versions focus more on the erotic elements without excluding the important battle scenes that eventually lead to Eneas’s victory and allow him to marry Lavinia, the urmother of the Roman Empire. Heinrich carefully elaborates the monologues and dialogues, providing us with important insight into his protagonists’ fears, aspirations, and motifs. The author also spends much time describing details of their clothing, weapons, fortifications, and other typical aspects of courtly culture. Heinrich’sEneashas been preserved in seven complete manuscripts and in five fragments.

During his early life Heinrich also composed 37 COURTLY LOVE poems, one of which criticizes the TRISTAN motif (song no. 4), stating that he, the poet, would be in no need of the love potion as he fell in love with his lady all by himself and yet would experience even more intense love than Tristan. For Heinrich courtly love represents the highest ethical ideal and provides people with pure and high spirits (no. 12). Moreover, around 1165, he also composed a hagiographical text,Servatius(Life of the saint Servatius). Heinrich was highly praised by many Middle High German poets who admired him as the master of courtly love.

■Des Minnesangs Frühling. Edited by Hugo Moser and Helmut Tervooren. 38th ed. Stuttgart:Hirzel, 1988.

■ Heinrich von Veldeke.Eneit. Translated by J. W. Thomas. Garland Library of Medieval Literature, Series B, no. 38. New York: Garland, 1985.

■ Cormier, Raymond.“Classical Continuity and Transposition in Two Twelfth-Century Adaptations of the Aeneid,”Symposium47, no. 4 (1994): 261–274.

■ Sayce, Olive.The Medieval German Lyric 1150–1300: The Development of Its Themes and Forms in Their European Context. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1982.