author

Wilhelm Ruland

1869–1927

Best known for gathering the myths and river tales of the Rhine, this German writer brought folklore, travel, and storytelling together in a way that still feels inviting today. His work helped carry regional legends to a wider audience through many later editions and translations.

3 Audiobooks

Legends of the Rhine

Legends of the Rhine

by Wilhelm Ruland

Sagen van den Rijn

Sagen van den Rijn

by Wilhelm Ruland

Sagen van den Rijn

Sagen van den Rijn

by Wilhelm Ruland

About the author

Born in Bonn in 1869 and dying in Munich in 1927, Wilhelm Ruland was a German writer and editor whose life moved between scholarship, journalism, and literature.

He studied literary history and modern languages, earning a doctorate at the University of Rostock in 1896. After that he worked as a tutor, including periods in Bavaria, Austria, and Italy, and from 1898 to 1902 he served in Leipzig as an editor and publishing director.

Ruland wrote stories, poems, and plays, but he is remembered above all for his highly successful collection of Rhine legends, first published in 1896. That book remained popular for decades and appeared in later editions and translations, helping preserve the romantic folklore of the Rhine for new generations of readers.