Elisabeth Kulmann

Portrait of Elisabeth Kulmann, after a bust by Paolo Catozzi

Elisabeth Kulmann (Russian: Елисавета Борисовна Кульман/Jelissaweta Borissowna Kulman, July 17 [O.S. 7] 1808-December 1 [O.S. November 25] 1825) was a Russian-born poet of German parents. Fluent in 11 languages, she wrote over 1,000 poems before her death at age 17. Robert Schumann considered her a wunderkind and set some of her poems to music including "Mailied" ["May Song"] and "An den Abendstern" ["To the Evening Star"].[1]

References

  1. ↑ Paulsen, Nina (December 2005). "Russlanddeutsche Unter Monarchie und Diktatur: Ein Neuer Band der 'Russland-Deutschen Zeitgeschichte' des HFDR Erschienen" [German-Russians Under Monarchy and Dictatorship: HFDR Publishes a new Volume of the Series 'Russland-Deutsche Zeitgeschichte' [Contemporary German-Russian History]' from the NSDU Libraries]. Volk auf dem Weg: 11. The Ukrainian music researcher and critic Grigoriy Hansburg wrests from total oblivion the gifted poet Elisabeth Kuhlmann (1808 - 1824), who was born into a German professional officer's family in St. Petersburg. This poet actually shows up historically mainly through the music of Robert Schumann, who was inspired by Kuhlmann's poetry and set several of her poems to music.