Georgslied
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The Georgslied (Song of St. George; composed towards the end of the 9th century; written down around 1000) is an incomplete Old High German poem, perhaps originally sung, about the life of Saint George.
The poem in 57 or so verses is found in the Heidelberg manuscript which also contains one of the texts of the Evangelienbuch of Otfrid of Weissenburg (to whom it was formerly attributed). It appears however to have been written down by a scribe named Wisolf: the spelling is poor and the poem breaks off with the words: "nequeo Vuisolf" ("I am unable. Wisolf"). There is no indication of whether Wisolf were writing down an oral text, or whether he was copying an earlier written version.
It may originate from the Abbey of Saint George at Reichenau or perhaps Prüm Abbey, both of which were early and important centres of veneration of Saint George.
[edit] Sources
- John Bostock, A Handbook of Old High German, 1976 ISBN 0-19-815392-9
