Georg Wickram
Georg Wickram was a 16th-century writer born around 1505 in Colmar, Alsace, currently part of France. As the illegitimate son of a wealthy burgher, his early life was marked by a lack of formal education, which was compounded by the societal norms of the time. After becoming a citizen of Colmar in 1546, following his father's death and an inheritance, Wickram transitioned from clerical work in Strasbourg to a literary career. He is notable for founding a Meistersinger school in Colmar in 1549 and for his editorial work on Albrecht von Halberstadt's translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses.
Wickram is best remembered for his romance novels that emphasize themes of honesty, obedience, and the importance of education, often portraying characters who achieve social mobility through virtue and adherence to societal expectations. His writing reflects a nuanced understanding of social dynamics, likely influenced by his own experiences with social status. Wickram passed away around 1561, leaving behind a legacy that highlights the interplay between personal integrity and societal norms in 16th-century literature.
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Georg Wickram
Writer
- Born: c. 1505
- Birthplace: Colmar, Alsace (now in France)
- Died: c. 1561
Biography
Georg Wickram was born around 1505 in Colmar, Alsace (now in France). He was the illegitimate son of a wealthy burgher, Konrad Wickram, which may explain why his exact date of birth and the name of his mother are both unknown. It also explains why he did not receive a scholarly education. It was not until 1546 that he became a citizen of Colmar, a result of the death of his father and his inheritance of a house.
Unable to lead the life of the son of a patrician and follow in his father’s footsteps, Wickram took a job as a city clerk in Strasbourg and began to write novels, plays, and other anecdotal texts. In 1549, Wickram founded a Meistersinger school in Colmar. He edited Albrecht von Halberstadt’s Middle High German translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses (c. 8 c.e., published in 1545. In 1555, Wickram published Das Rollwagenbuclzlen, a collection of tales and anecdotes written in German.
Wickram was best known for his romance novels in which he stressed honesty, obedience, education, and the fear of God. Several characters in his works rise in society because of their virtue and their ability to conform to the social rules of conduct. His inferior social status may explain why his novels stressed conformity and expressed a fear of being different. Wickram died around 1561.