The Loreley (also written as Lorelei) is a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany, which soars some 120 meters above the water line. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Sankt Goarshausen is a town located in the State Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. It marks the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there.
Loreley is also the name of one of the beautiful Rhine Maidens who lured navigators of this river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much as the ancient Greek Sirens did. Wagner's Rhinemaidens The Neck ( English) or the Nix/Nixe ( German) refer to Shapeshifting water spirits who usually appear in human form In Greek mythology, the Sirens ( Greek singular Seirēn; Greek plural Seirēnes) were three dangerous bird-women
In 1395 the Loreley showed up as vineyard of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. Katzenelnbogen is the name of a castle and small city in the district of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
The name comes from the old German words "lureln" (Rhine dialect for "murmuring") and "ley" (rock). The Rhineland ( Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. The translation of the name would therefore be: "murmur rock" or "murmuring rock". The heavy currents, and a small waterfall in the area (still visible in the early 19th century) created a murmuring sound, and this combined with the special echo the rock produces which acted as a sort of amplifier, then gave name to the rock itself. A waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water often in the form of a Stream, flowing over an Erosion -resistant rock The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar [1] The murmuring is hard to hear today due to the urbanization of the area. Other theories attribute the name to the many accidents, by combining the word "luren" (lurk) with the same "ley" ending, with the translation "lurking rock".
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In folklore and poetry
The rock is associated with several legendary tales originating in German folklore. German folklore shares many characteristics with Scandinavian folklore and English folklore due to their origins in a common Germanic mythology. It appears in many forms. The legend was first created by the German author Clemens Brentano in his novel "Godwi oder Das steinerne Bild der Mutter" (1801); Brentano was inspired by Ovid, especially by the Echo-Narcissus myth.
One of the legends is that Loreley, a beautiful young maiden, committed suicide because of an unfaithful lover. She jumped from the steep rock into the Rhine River, thus killing herself. She then became a siren, luring shipmen to their fates with her hypnotizing voice. The echoing heard today is said to be Loreley.
The Lorelei by Heinrich Heine, translated by Clint Andrews
I don't know what it may signify
That I am so sad;
There's a tale from ancient times
That I can't get out of my mind.
The air is cool in the twilight is falling,
And the Rhine is flowing quietly by;
The top of the mountain is glittering
In the evening sun.
The loveliest maiden is sitting,
up there wondrous to tell.
Her golden jewelry sparkles,
as she combs her golden hair.
She combs it with a golden comb
and sings a song as she does;
A song with a peculiar,
powerful melody.
It seizes upon the boatman in his small boat
With unrestrained woe;
He does not look below the rocky shoals;
He only looks up at the heights.
If I'm not mistaken the waters,
Finally swallowed up fisher and boat.
And with her singing
the Lorelei did this.
Notes
- ^ Loreley - Ein Beitrag zur Namendeutung. Accessed June 16, 2006. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
External links
- The Loreley, a vineyard of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen and their first Riesling of the World
- Text of the Poem by Clemens Brentano
- Lorelei Info Information all around the Lorelei
- Lorelei Song mp3
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