Ferdinand Freiligrath
German poet, translator and liberal agitator, 1810-1876
"Facing political repression, Freiligrath' poems became even more political. In his ""Glaubensbekenntnis"" (Confession of Faith) he placed his poetic gifts at the service of the democratic agitation. He worked for the ""Neue Rheinische Zeitung"", whose general editor was Karl Marx. The publishing of his ""Die Toten an die Lebenden"" (The Dead to the Living) led to his arrest. As he became an object of constant suspicion, he left Germany for London. His translations of English poets kept up his popularity in Germany, where he returned to after an amnesty. Liszt took up Freiligrath's poem ""O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst"" for his most famous piano piece ""Liebesträume"" No. 3."
Source:
Dichter (1810-1876). Autogr. poem (12 lines) signed ("F. Freiligrath"). O. O. u. D. 1¼ SS. Gr.-8vo.
$ 6,965 / 6.500 €
(32634/BN24696)
"Da kommt es wiederum heran | Das Heer von Schiffern und von Mohren | Das in der Nordsee Uferbann | Mein einsam brütend Hirn geboren. | Doch sind es kaum die alten mehr | In Ruderwams- und Reiterkleide; | Wie Herren schreiten sie einher | Im Gurt von Gold, im Rock von Seide [...]". - Slightly browned and with small tear in lower margin.