Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger (24 January 181612 July 1890) was a German Protestant theologian, pedagogue, poet and hymnwriter. He was for 38 years the director of a newly founded educational institution for women teachers in
Droyßig
Droyßig is a municipality in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. On 1 January 2010 it absorbed the former municipality Weißenborn, Saxony-Anhalt, Weißenborn.Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French ori ...
"
Süßer die Glocken nie klingen
"" (Sweeter the bells never sound) is a popular German Christmas carol with text by Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger to a traditional Volkslied melody, first printed in 1860. It has remained popular and is part of many song books and Christmas recordi ...
", written to the melody of a popular
Volkslied
Volkslied (literally: folk song) is a genre of popular songs in German which are traditionally sung. While many of them were first passed orally, several collections were published from the late 18th century. Later, some popular songs were also ...
, has remained a favourite.
Life
Born in
Lehnin
Kloster Lehnin, or just Lehnin, is a municipality in the German state of Brandenburg. It lies about west-south-west of Potsdam.
Overview
Kloster Lehnin was established on 1 April 2002 by the merger of 14 villages:
The centre of the municipality ...
, Kritzinger attended the abbey school (''Klosterschule'') in Lehnin and the gymnasium of the Ritterakademie in (now part of Brandenburg an der Havel). He studied theology in Berlin with August Neander. He directed a private educational institution in Pyritz, Pomerania, from 1847 to 1850. He was then appointed Rektor of the municipal school (''Stadtschule'') in
Naugard
Nowogard () ( csb, Nowògard; formerly german: Naugard) is a town in northwestern Poland, in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. it had a population of 16,733.
Name
''Nowogard'' is a combination of two Slavic terms: novi (new) and gard, which is P ...
. On a recommendation by , the
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
n minister of culture, called Kritzinger to be the first director of the Lehrerinnenbildungsanstalt in
Droyßig
Droyßig is a municipality in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. On 1 January 2010 it absorbed the former municipality Weißenborn, Saxony-Anhalt, Weißenborn. Kritzinger held the position for 38 years.
He wrote poems and hymns, to be used first of all in the daily morning devotions (''Morgenandacht'') that he held, and further for high religious holidays. His
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French ori ...
''
Süßer die Glocken nie klingen
"" (Sweeter the bells never sound) is a popular German Christmas carol with text by Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger to a traditional Volkslied melody, first printed in 1860. It has remained popular and is part of many song books and Christmas recordi ...
'', which he wrote to the melody of a popular
Volkslied
Volkslied (literally: folk song) is a genre of popular songs in German which are traditionally sung. While many of them were first passed orally, several collections were published from the late 18th century. Later, some popular songs were also ...
from
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and larg ...
, "Dort sinket die Sonne im Westen", achieved lasting popularity. His poem "Der Wald" (The woods), beginning "Wald, du bist so wunderschön" (Woods, you are so very beautiful) was set as choral music several times, including versions by Michael Eduard Surläuly and .
Due to ill health, he requested retirement for 1 July 1890. He moved with his family to
Naumburg
Naumburg () is a town in (and the administrative capital of) the district Burgenlandkreis, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany. It has a population of around 33,000. The Naumburg Cathedral became a UNES ...
where he died shortly afterwards. He was buried on the cemetery of Droyßig opposite the graves of the Prince's family, as requested.
Awards
Kritzinger was awarded the knighthood of the House Order of Hohenzollern in 1875. He received the title Königlicher Schulrat (Royal school counselor) in 1885. He was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle class IV in 1888, and class III in 1890. The Wilhelm-Kritzinger-Straße in Droyßig is named after him. In his birth town, a street is named Kritzinger-Gasse in honour of him and his brother Ludwig Kritzinger.
Work
Kritzinger's published works include, according to contemporary lists:
* ''Lebensblüthen in Liedern.'' Duncker, Berlin 1857 ().
* ''Liederbüchlein für Kinder.'' Streiber, Zeitz 1857.
* ''Eichenblätter zu Preußens jüngstem Ehrenkranze.'' Heinicke, Berlin 1864, .
* ''Samenkörner aus Gottes Wort.'' Kay, Kassel 1866, .
* ''Weihnachtsbüchlein für Schule und Haus.'' Webel, Zeitz 1866, .
* ''Weihnachtsstrauß für Haus und Schule.'' Huch, Zeitz 1869.
* ''Vaterlands-Lieder.'' Huch, Zeitz 1876.
* ''Pilgerklänge.'' Gedichte. Huch, Zeitz 1885, .
""
Kritzinger is remembered for the lyrics of one song, the
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French ori ...
"" (Sweeter the bells never sound). He wrote it to go with a popular
Volkslied
Volkslied (literally: folk song) is a genre of popular songs in German which are traditionally sung. While many of them were first passed orally, several collections were published from the late 18th century. Later, some popular songs were also ...
melody, of the evening song "Seht, wie die Sonne dort sinket" (Look how the sun is setting there), which was documented from 1841.Franz Magnus Böhme: ''Volksthümliche Lieder der Deutschen im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert.'' Breitkopf und Härtel, Leipzig 1895, p. 180. Kritzinger's song was first printed in 1860 in the collection ''Liederstrauß'' (Song bouquet) by Bernhard Brähmig.Bernhard Brähmig: ''Liederstrauß. Auswahl heiterer und ernster Gesänge für Töchterschulen''. vol. 3. Merseburger, Leipzig 1860. 18. Auflage 1897, p. 84f.. The earlier song mentions bells, which may have inspired Kritzinger to write about bells ringing throughout the world as a symbol of peace and joy.
References
Further reading
* ''Gedenkblätter des Königlichen Lehrerinnen-Seminars zu Droyßig'', 6 volumes, 1857 to 1890
* Paul Meyer (ed.): ''Festschrift zum 50-jährigen Bestehen der Droyßiger Anstalten am 1. Oktober 1902'', Breslau 1902
* ''Droyßiger Blätter''. numbers 1 to 12 (1927 to 1932)
* Hermann Petrich: ''Unser Geistliches Volkslied''. 2nd ed. 1924, p. 185–196
* ''Monatshefte für Evangelische Kirchengemeinden des Rheinlandes'', 34th year, 1985, pp. 269
* Harry Beyer: Kritzinger, Friedrich Wilhelm. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). vol. 4, Bautz, Herzberg 1992, , col. 668–670.