31 July 2024

One new find is presented in depth here: Ephraim Heermann’s ‘Geziemende Einnahme’ (A Fitting Admission, 1689). This occasional text, which was published shortly after the death of Philipp von Zesen on 23 November 1689, is significant in two respects. Firstly, it provides an intimate insight into the procedure of admitting, on 12 March 1676, the Liegnitz school rector Ephraim Heermann (1621–1689) – under the society name ‘The Striver’ – into the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft (German-Minded Society), which Zesen had co-founded. As one of the 17th century’s outstanding language societies, this association aimed to promote German language and literature. Secondly, this print includes a hitherto unknown ‘occasional poem’ by Philipp von Zesen, which was his post hoc reaction to Heermann’s admission to the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft.

The print comprises three poems. In his ‘Einwerbung’ (Application) (sheets 1^v–2^r), Heermann addresses Zesen, introducing himself as the son of the hymn text writer Johann Heermann (1585–1647) and as an admirer of Zesen’s writings: ‘Weil vom Vater dem Poet| Erblich was auf mich geronnen/| Hab ich ZESE/ Seine Flött/| Als ein Jüngling lieb gewonnen/| Auch bei meinen Amptes-Triften| Mich ergetzt an Seinen Schriften.’ (Since from my father poet| Inheritance has run/| I have from ZESE/ His flute/| As a youth so dearly won/| And in all my duty’s driftings| Taken pleasure in his writings.) He also notes that Heermann’s ‘patron’ Georg von Schöbel und Rosenfeld (1640–1680) supported his application to the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft. Heermann concludes by requesting a positive ‘closing remark’ from Zesen, thereby securing confirmation of his admission.

Zesen responds with a poem that stands at the centre of the ‘Geziemende Einnahme’. The subheading (sheet 2^v) reads: ‘Glückwünschende Lilien-Worte/ Zum neulich verfertigten Lilien-Krantze/ des in Wahrheit Edlen und Hochgelehrten Schlesiers/ Herrn Ephraim Heermanns/ Der Fürstl. und Stadt-Schule in Liegnitz treufleißigen Ober-Lehrers u. a. m. Dadurch Er im 1676. Heil-Jahre im Zwelfften des Lentz-Mondens/ der Hoch-preißwürdigen Deutschgesinnten Genossenschaft Liljen-Zunft einverleibet wurde.’ (Congratulatory lily words/ On the recently made garland of lilies/ of the veritably noble and erudite Silesian/ Mr Ephraim Heermann/ The loyal and industrious head teacher at the Royal and Town School in Liegnitz etc. Whereby he in the year 1676 of Our Saviour on the twelfth of the month of Lent/ Was admitted to the most praiseworthy Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft Guild of Lilies.) It is noteworthy that Zesen’s poem (sheets 3^r–3^v) confirms the admission not only of Heermann but of two new members: ‘In dehm das Edle Liegnitz ihm reicht zwo Edle Sprossen/ […] Und träget Beid ins Zunft-Buch stracks nach dem Dritten ein/| Im jüngsten Liljen-Sitze.’ (In that noble Liegnitz confers upon him two noble scions/ … And enters both into the guild book directly after the third/| In the most recent seat of lilies.) Hitherto the only known version of the ‘Glückwünschende Lilien-Worten’ (Congratulatory Lily Words) and Hermann’s ‘Einwerbung’ (Application), the text does not, however, identify the second new member. Instead, the passage on Heermann’s admission, with his society name and his emblem, is followed by four concluding verses that formulate wishes for both new members (‘Der Himmel übergüsse die neuen Liljen-Glieder | Mit seinem GnadenSeegen’ [May heaven pour upon the new lily members | Its merciful blessing]). This lends weight to the assumption that Heermann ‘singularised’ the title of the poem before its publication and that he also cut the text of the poem. As there is no known earlier 1670s print of Zesen’s ‘Glückwünschende Lilien-Worten’ and Hermann’s ‘Einwerbung’, this print in the ‘Geziemende Einnahme’ was probably based on a handwritten version that Herrmann subsequently edited. The unnamed new member in the print is clearly Wenzeslaus Kahl (1645–1704), who is cited in the 1676 membership list of the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft as the fourth member of the seventh Guild Seat of the Lily Guild. Kahl is also among those to whom Zesen’s ‘Niederländischer Leue’ (Netherlandish Lion, 1677) is dedicated, along with Heermann and Schöbel.

It is also notable that Zesen marked the occasion of Heermann’s admission to the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft on 12 March 1676 only after the event. A note appended to his poem emphasises the considerable delay between the occasion and the production of the poem: ‘Dieses bezeugete mit hiesigen eilfärtigen Unlehrsetzmässige steigenden Reim-Zeilen/ in der Hochpreißwürdigen Deutschgesinnten Genossenschaft Stiftungs-Stadt Hamburg/ am 25. des Herbst-Mohndens im 1678. Jahre nach der HeilGeburth/ nach der Stiftung aber Hochgemeldter Genossenschaft im 33. Philip von Zesen.’ (Philip von Zesen bore witness to this with these hastily written unorthodox rising rhyming lines here/ in the City of Hamburg, the birthplace of the most praiseworthy Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft,/ on the 25th of the autumn moon [September] in the 1678th year after the birth of Our Saviour,/ the 33rd after the foundation of the most renowned Society.) As the two years noted, 1678 and 1676 (the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft was founded in 1643) are contradictory, it is likely that one of them is a printing error. Whether the poem dates from 25 September 1676 or 25 September 1678 cannot be ascertained at this juncture.

Heermann’s epicedium on Zesen’s death on 23 November 1689 – ‘Alcaische Klag-Ode über Ableben des Hochwürdisten [sic] Zunft-Hauptes’ (Alcaic Elegy on the Passing of the Most Praiseworthy Guild Head), sheets 3^v–4^v – concludes his ‘Geziemende Einnahme’. As it can be assumed that the epicedium was published in a timely fashion, it is probable that the occasional text appeared soon after Zesen’s death. Ephraim Heermann also died just a few weeks later, on 21 December 1689. As collected in this text, these three poems mark the beginning and the end of the literary and literary-society connections between Heermann and Zesen. Georg von Schöbel und Rosenfeld, Heermann’s patron, who had already died in 1680, is also named in the epicedium. This occasional print thus several times emphasises the significance of the relations between the three men for Heermann’s admission to the Deutschgesinnte Genossenschaft. In conclusion, the poem then looks to the future of the Society: ‘Ihr Zunfft-Genossen zeigt mir das neue Haupt/ Daß meiner Harffen auch sei ein Lied erlaubt/ Die Asche Zesens wird erfreuet/ Dadurch ein Haupt sich die Zunft erneuet.’ (Ye guild fellows the new head bring/ That my harps may be given leave to sing/ Zesen’s ashes with joy be filled/ To know a head renews the guild.)

Title image: Portrait of Philipp von Zesen (1619–1689). Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek, portraits collection, A 24772

PURL: http://diglib.hab.de/?link=191