August Daniel von Binzer


August Freiherr von Binzer was a German poet, journalist, and Urburschenschafter.

Early life and education

Binzer was born in Kiel and studied at the Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel and the University of Jena. In 1817 he was the founding father of the Burschenschaftlichen movement in Kiel, where he became a member of the fraternity Teutonia in Kiel. In Jena, he joined the Urbaintschaftschaft. He took part in the Wartburg Festival of 1817.

Career

He became known through two of his songs, "Impact!" and "Wir hatten gebauet ein stattliches Haus". The second song was written to dissolve the Jena Burschenschaft and contains the line "The Band is Cut / War Roth Black and Gold", in which the three colors of the fraternity were first recorded in writing. The latter song was immortalized much later by Johannes Brahms as a trumpet theme in his Academic Festival Overture. Its tune is now used in the Micronesian national anthem.
As a journalist and writer von Binzer worked in many German cities, including Altenburg, Glücksburg, Flensburg, Leipzig, Cologne and Augsburg. He wrote for newspapers, edited encyclopaedias and published stories and short stories.

Personal life

Since 1822 von Binzer was married to the writer :de:Emilie von Binzer|Emilie Henriette Adelheid von Gerschau, who survived him by 21 years. After her is named a street in Linz.

Later life and death

His last years he spent in Linz and Styria. He died in Neisse, Silesia.

Works