author
Ludwig Uhland
1787–1862
A leading voice of German Romanticism, this poet brought together lyrical grace, a love of old legends, and a strong public conscience. He is also remembered for scholarly work on medieval literature and for a life that reached beyond poetry into law and politics.
1 Audiobook
Walther von der Vogelweide: Ein altdeutscher Dichter
by Ludwig Uhland
About the author
Born in Tübingen in 1787, Ludwig Uhland studied law at the University of Tübingen while developing a deep interest in medieval German and French poetry. That blend of legal training and literary passion shaped much of his career: he became known not only as a poet, but also as a scholar of older literature.
Uhland was one of the best-known poets of the Swabian Romantic circle. His poems and ballads often drew on folk traditions, history, and legend, and they were admired for their clarity, musicality, and emotional directness. Alongside his writing, he produced important work in medieval studies, helping to build wider interest in early German literature.
He also took an active role in public life. Trained as a jurist, he served in political office during a period of great change in the German states, and his liberal convictions became an important part of his reputation. Uhland died in Tübingen in 1862, in the same city where he was born.