Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter

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Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter (1816 - 1873) was a German novelist and poet. He is perhaps best known for his poem Merlin der Zauberer ("Merlin the Magician," 1857). Verse epics or narratives in the German Arthurian Literature tradition were undertaken with various success from the mid-1700s forward. In contrast to Romantic poets like Karl Leberecht Immermann for whom Merlin represented the spirit of nature, Müller created a "modern Merlin" who, as Niniane's lover, uses his wisdom to resolve the conflict created by his revelation of the love affair of Guinevere. The Merlin-Niniane relationship is presented as uncharacteristically positive compared to other depictions in the Arthurian cannon.

Source: The Arthurian Encyclopedia. Norris J. Lacy, Ed. "German Arthurian Literature (Modern)." New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1986.