| Nun danket alle Gott |
When the first Frankenmuth settlers boarded the train from Albany to Buffalo, New York on their
journey to Michigan, they sang an old German hymn of thanksgiving called 'Nun danket alle Gott'
written long before by a Lutheran minister in Eilenburg, Saxony named Martin Rinkart, the son of a
poor coppersmith.
journey to Michigan, they sang an old German hymn of thanksgiving called 'Nun danket alle Gott'
written long before by a Lutheran minister in Eilenburg, Saxony named Martin Rinkart, the son of a
poor coppersmith.
It was famous in the 18th century as 'The
Hymn of Leuthen', in reference to the Seven
Years' War, when on December 5, 1757, the
Prussian army under Friedrich the Great
defeated the Austrians in the Battle of
Leuthen. Following the heated battle, a lone
Prussian soldier began to sing the hymn 'Nun
danket alle Gott' and suddenly the entire
Prussian army of over 20,000 men
spontaneously took up the hymn of thanks.
Hymn of Leuthen', in reference to the Seven
Years' War, when on December 5, 1757, the
Prussian army under Friedrich the Great
defeated the Austrians in the Battle of
Leuthen. Following the heated battle, a lone
Prussian soldier began to sing the hymn 'Nun
danket alle Gott' and suddenly the entire
Prussian army of over 20,000 men
spontaneously took up the hymn of thanks.
Nun danket alle Gott mit Herzen, Mund und Händen.
Der große Dinge tut an uns und allen Enden,
Der uns von Mutterleib und Kindesbeinen an
Unzählig viel zu gut und noch jetzund getan.
Der ewig reiche Gott woll uns bei unsrem Leben
Ein immer fröhlich Herz und edlen Frieden geben
Und uns in seiner Gnad erhalten fort und fort
Und uns aus aller Not erlösen hier und dort.
Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott, dem Vater und dem Sohne
Und dem, der beiden gleich im höchsten Himmelsthrone,
Dem dreimal einen Gott, als er ursprünglich war
Und ist und bleiben wird jetzund und immerdar.
Der große Dinge tut an uns und allen Enden,
Der uns von Mutterleib und Kindesbeinen an
Unzählig viel zu gut und noch jetzund getan.
Der ewig reiche Gott woll uns bei unsrem Leben
Ein immer fröhlich Herz und edlen Frieden geben
Und uns in seiner Gnad erhalten fort und fort
Und uns aus aller Not erlösen hier und dort.
Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott, dem Vater und dem Sohne
Und dem, der beiden gleich im höchsten Himmelsthrone,
Dem dreimal einen Gott, als er ursprünglich war
Und ist und bleiben wird jetzund und immerdar.
| Nun danket alle Gott |
The story goes that during the Thirty Years’ War, the walled city of Eilenburg
witnessed sorrowful crowds of refugees pouring through its gates seeking
refuge from the carnage. The Swedish army surrounded the city and famine
and plague ensued, taking a terrible toll. In the first year, thousands perished.
All but three town councilmen died along with scores of school children.
Burying upwards of fifty people a day, the town pastors succumbed one by
one until Rinkart was the only one left. The town was unable to pay the huge
ransom the Swedes demanded as protection money, and the famine which
followed the pestilence was so dire that people fought in the streets over a
dead animal or bird. Rinkart, grieving over the death of his wife and with no
regard for his personal safety, left the security of the walls to beg for mercy.
witnessed sorrowful crowds of refugees pouring through its gates seeking
refuge from the carnage. The Swedish army surrounded the city and famine
and plague ensued, taking a terrible toll. In the first year, thousands perished.
All but three town councilmen died along with scores of school children.
Burying upwards of fifty people a day, the town pastors succumbed one by
one until Rinkart was the only one left. The town was unable to pay the huge
ransom the Swedes demanded as protection money, and the famine which
followed the pestilence was so dire that people fought in the streets over a
dead animal or bird. Rinkart, grieving over the death of his wife and with no
regard for his personal safety, left the security of the walls to beg for mercy.
The Swedish commander was so impressed by
his courage that he altered his demands. Even
though Rinckart's own losses were so great that
he could barely feed his children and was forced
to mortgage his future income for several years,
he wrote this hymn for a thanksgiving service as
the war wound to a close.
his courage that he altered his demands. Even
though Rinckart's own losses were so great that
he could barely feed his children and was forced
to mortgage his future income for several years,
he wrote this hymn for a thanksgiving service as
the war wound to a close.
The hymn was later immortalized in 1955 in
West Germany at Friedland camp. The last
(official) surviving German prisoners of war
were finally released from the Soviet Union
after 10 long, hideous years of captivity, and
they arrived singing the hymn, right. The hymn
is today sung in countless churches world wide
and in many languages, including English.
West Germany at Friedland camp. The last
(official) surviving German prisoners of war
were finally released from the Soviet Union
after 10 long, hideous years of captivity, and
they arrived singing the hymn, right. The hymn
is today sung in countless churches world wide
and in many languages, including English.
Towards the end of the 17th Century, the song had been inserted in many Protestant church song
books in Germany. The song took countless musical adaptations, including those of Pachelbel,
Telemann, Bach, Liszt, Reger and others.
books in Germany. The song took countless musical adaptations, including those of Pachelbel,
Telemann, Bach, Liszt, Reger and others.
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