Du bist die Ruh: The Poet

Friedrich Rückert (Ruckert) wrote many poems in many styles. Some of these poems were set to music by other people, including Franz Schubert. 

Rückert wrote a poem that was either untitled or called “Kehr’ ein bei mir!” The free internet is unclear on this point.

What is clear is that Franz Schubert used the text of the poem and titled his song “Du bist die Ruh,” the first line of the poem.

Rückert was more than a prolific poet. He was university educated and taught himself Middle-Eastern and Asian languages. 

It is said that he knew 30 languages and worked as a translator. He was a professor of “Oriental” languages before resigning to devote himself to writing. 

Many of Rückert’s poems were inspired by current events. In the early 1800s, Germany was defending itself against Napoleon’s attempts to add the country to his empire. 

Rückert wrote poetry that expressed how the German people felt about these events. At other times in his life, Rückert wrote romantic poetry about his wife and laments when his children died. 

Among the hundreds of poems Rückert wrote, the one that became the song “Du bist die Ruh” is part of the Oestliche Rosen volume.

“Du bist die Ruh” is among the many Rückert poems turned into songs that student and advanced singers might learn.

Oh, and there appears to be a 20th-century field hockey player of the same name. I wonder who else had this name but didn’t make it into published history?

Sources

“Du bist die Ruh” by Richard on Figures of Speech; Access 2023, September 8.
“Friedrich Rückert” on Britannica; Accessed 2023, September 8.
“Friedrich Rückert” by Richard on Figures of Speech; Accessed 2023, September 8.
“Friedrich Rückert” on Mahler Foundation; Accessed 2023, September 8.
“Friedrich Rückert” on Wikipedia; Accessed 2023, September 8.