Christian Morgenstern

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Christian Morgenstern (May 6, 1871–March 31, 1914) was a German author and poet.

Morgenstern's poetry, much of which was inspired by English nonsense rhymes, is immensely popular, even though he enjoyed very little success during his lifetime. Many Germans know some of his poems and quotations by heart, e.g. the following line from "The Impossible Fact" ("Die unmögliche Tatsache", 1910):

For, he reasons pointedly / That which must not, can not be. (German: "Weil, so schließt er messerscharf / Nicht sein kann, was nicht sein darf")

The ongoing joke about the fictitious species Rhinogradentia, based on Morgenstern's nonsense poem Das Nasobēm, is testament to his enduring popularity.

Morgenstern's best known works include the "Galgenlieder" (Gallows Songs, 1905), eight of which were used in a song cycle by Jan Koetsier for soprano and tuba, and "Palmström" 1910; he also translated various works, including those of Henrik Ibsen. His philosophical and mythical works were largely influenced by Nietzsche, and Rudolf Steiner, father of anthroposophy.

Morgenstern died in 1914 of tuberculosis, which he had contracted from his mother, who died in 1881.

In the 1933 "Handbuch der Judenfrage" ("Handbook of the Jewish Issue"), Morgenstern was listed as a "jewish mixture". After legal intervention, brought about by the lawyer of the publisher of Morgenstern, Reinhard Piper, the "Handbook" was withdrawn, as Morgenstern had no Jewish ancestors.

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