
A bleak winter dawn blankets a quiet town in gray light, where watchmen shuffle home and the clatter of livestock stirs in hidden stalls. The poem opens with vivid, almost cinematic images—frost‑bitten streets, a flickering lantern, and a lone figure lingering on the threshold of a modest house. In this stark setting, a young man named Christian pauses, drawn by a soft glow that hints at warmth and humanity amid the cold.
Inside, he encounters a young woman caring for a modest fire, her presence a gentle contrast to the harshness outside. Their tentative exchange, laced with quiet concern and a shared need for shelter, captures a moment of fragile connection that hints at deeper social strains of the era. The verses weave together melancholy, compassion, and the subtle power of simple kindness, inviting listeners to linger on the delicate balance between survival and tenderness.
Language
de
Duration
~2 hours (123K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Michael Pullen. HTML version by Al Haines.
Release date
2003-05-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1813–1863
Raised in poverty and largely self-taught, this German writer turned hard early struggles into powerful dramas that helped reshape 19th-century theater. His plays are known for their psychological intensity, moral conflict, and tragic force.
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