Volker von Alzey is a legendary figure from the

Nibelungenlied The ( gmh, Der Nibelunge liet or ), translated as ''The Song of the Nibelungs'', is an epic poetry, epic poem written around 1200 in Middle High German. Its anonymous poet was likely from the region of Passau. The is based on an oral tradition ...

. He is the

minstrel A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who ...

at the court of

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

Worms Worms may refer to: *Worm, an invertebrate animal with a tube-like body and no limbs Places *Worms, Germany, a city **Worms (electoral district) *Worms, Nebraska, U.S. *Worms im Veltlintal, the German name for Bormio, Italy Arts and entertainme ...

. His headquarters

Alzey Alzey () is a ''Verband''-free town – one belonging to no ''Verbandsgemeinde'' – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the fifth-largest town in Rhenish Hesse, after Mainz, Worms, Germany, Worms, Ingelheim am Rhein ...

is located about from Worms. Volker is one of the Burgundian knights and heroes. He dies at

Hildebrand Hildebrand is a character from Germanic heroic legend. ''Hildebrand'' is the modern German form of the name: in Old High German it is ''Hiltibrant'' and in Old Norse ''Hildibrandr''. The word ''hild'' means "battle" and ''brand'' means "sword". ...

's hand with the other Burgundians fighting alongside

Hagen Hagen () is the Largest cities in Germany, 41st-largest List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany. The municipality is located in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the south eastern edge of the R ...

at King Etzel's castle.

Excerpt from the Nibelungenlied

Original

„Die drie künege wâren, als ich gesaget hân, von vil hôhem ellen: in wâren undertân ouch die besten recken, von de man hât gesaget, starc und vil küene, in scharpfen strîten unverzaget. Daz was von Tronege Hagene und ouch der bruoder sîn, Dancwart der vil snelle, von Metzen Ortwîn, der zwene marcgrâven Gêre und Ekkewart, Volkêr von Alzeije, mit ganzem ellen wol bewart.

English translation

In truth were these three rulers, / as I before did say, Great and high in power, / and homage true had they Eke of knights the boldest / and best that e'er were known, Keen men all and valiant, / as they in battle oft had shown. There was of Tronje Hagen, / and of that princely line His brother valiant Dankwart; / and eke of Metz Ortwein; Then further the two margraves, / Gere and Eckewart; Of Alzei was Volker, / a doughty man of dauntless heart.

Volker's "fiddle"

Volker was noted as "a minstrel and player of the ''fidla'', a medieval stringed instrument among the predecessors of the violin." This instrument, also spelled "

Fiðla The ''Icelandic fiddle'' (Icelandic: fiðla �fɪðla is a traditional Icelandic instrument that can be described as a box with two brass strings which is played with a bow. The strings stretch across one end of the box to the other where they ...

" is usually translated as "fiddle".

Volker's fiddle in coats of arms

File:DEU Alzey COA.svg, Coat of arms of Alzey File:DEU Landkreis Alzey-Worms COA.svg, Coat of arms of the

Alzey-Worms Alzey-Worms () is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise) the district Groß-Gerau (Hesse), the city of Worms and the districts of Bad Dürkheim, Donnersbergkreis, Bad Kreuznach and Mainz-Bingen. ...

district, showing the Nibelung Dragon above Volker's fidla

Volker in popular culture

*Volker von Alzey, played by

Hans von Borsody Hans von Borsody (; 20 September 1929 – 4 November 2013) was a German film actor. He was born in Vienna into an artistic family of Hungarian descent. His father Eduard was a film director, his uncle Julius a set designer.(in German) His daughte ...

, is the narrator in the 1966 film version of the Nibelung Saga. * Walter Plathe played Volker singing in the 2008 at the

Nibelung Festival, Worms Nibelungenfestspiele Worms is a theatre festival in Worms, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. The festival takes place every year since its re-establishment in 2002, usually in July or August as part of the . The performance venue is an open-air stage di ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Volker von Alzey German heroic legends Nibelung tradition Fictional knights Fictional characters from Rhineland-Palatinate