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Bodo von Hodenberg (Poet)

Born: April 3, 1604 - Hudemühlen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Died: September 20, 1650 - Osterode am Harz, Lower Saxony, Germany

Bodo von Hodenberg was a German administrative official and poet. He was the son of Marquard von Hodenberg and Margarethe Münnich. Only at the age of 24 he was legitimized on 1 August 1. 1628 by the Kaiser (emperor). After early studies at at the Klosterschule Möllenbeck and Partikularschule in Hannover, he studied from 1617 to 1620 at the University of Gießen. After completing his studies, he returned to his parents' house. But on April 2, 1622, he enrolled again at the University of Helmstedt and four years later at the University of Marburg.

Through his father Bodo von Hodenberg was appointed in 1630 Befehlshaber des kaiserlichen Regiments Holk (commander of the imperial regiment Holk). But already next year, Duke Christian called him from Braunschweig-Celle to his resident in the Swedish army. In 1631 he was appointed Regierungsrat (government councilor) in Grubenhagen. Two years later, on May 23, 1638, he became a member of the Consilium fornatum of the Welfth house. On April 2, 1641, he was appointed Hofmarschall and Geheimen Rats. He was for some time tutor to the sons of Duke Georg. On August 14, 1646, he was appointed Landdrosten and Burghauptmann (magistrate and director of the mines) in the Principality of Grubenhagen.

On July 20, 1642, Bodo von Hodenberg was admitted to the Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft with the name of Gehärtete. There, in the Köthener Gesellschaftsbuch under the number 373, also his motto is the exhausted spleen and his emblem, the tamarisk "Myricaria germanica (L.)" On the occasion of his inclusion in this association, Hodenberg wrote the following rhyme law:
Die Tamarisken rind', erweicht die miltz so hart
Ja wie verdröget ist, die vielen angst gebieret
Enthärtend ich mich nenn', und mit aufrechter art,
Enthärte gerne das, was zur untugend füret
Dahin mein fleis und müh', in allem ist gekahrt
Das mit der Tugend werd', ein edel hertz gezieret.
Was hart und lastbar ist, bey Menschen abgethan,
Und man Zur hoflichkeit gewiesen nützlich an.

Bodo von Hodenberg died on September 20, 1650 in Osterode in the Harz. The only hymn known by him is the beautiful "Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit" (Before your throne I now appear).

 

Source: Hymnary.org Website ((from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, 1907); German Wikipedia Website (February 2018), English translation by Aryeh Oron (September 2018)
Contributed by
Aryeh Oron (September 2018)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 327

Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit (1640/1646; ELG 315)

Links to other Sites

Bodo von Hodenberg (Hymnary.org)
Bodo von Hodenberg (Wikipedia) [German]

Bibliography

Koch, iii. 239; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xii. 537; Bode, p. 91


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Last update: Tuesday, November 06, 2018 03:23