Reinmar von
Hagenau Reinmar der Alte in the Codex Manesse
(14th century).
byname Reinmar the Elder, German
Reinmar der Alte
died c. 1205
German poet whose delicate and subtle
verses constitute the ultimate
refinement of the classical, or “pure,”
Minnesang (Middle High German love
lyric).
A native of Alsace, Reinmar became
court poet of the Babenberg dukes in
Vienna. Among his pupils was Walther von
der Vogelweide, who later became his
rival. The purity of Reinmar’s rhymes,
the evenness of his rhythms, and the
fastidious taste that rejected any
phrase or emotion that might offend
courtly sensibilities made him idolized
by his contemporaries as the
“nightingale” of his day. His constant
theme was unrequited love. Of the
numerous songs attributed to him, only
30 are now considered authentic.
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