OHG

This anthology offers parallel texts and translations of the poetic material that survives in Old High German, the earliest stage of the German language, from roughly 800 to about 1050. The translations keep as close to the originals as possible, while giving at the same time some indication of the poetic form. The works included are rich and varied, ranging from heroic lays to charms and blessings to historical poetry and hagiography. There is the heroic song of the battle between Hildebrand and his son, a charm featuring major pagan deities (Wodan, Balder, Frigg), poetic presentations of the creation and judgement day, a poem about a victory over the Vikings, and much more. Selections from the massive Gospel-poem by Otfried, the first named German poet, are offered. An appendix featuring Old Saxon analogues is also included.

“Brian Murdoch is the rare combination of a leading medievalist and gifted translator. This brilliant volume is a joy to read and a much-needed resource for teaching.” - Henrike Lähnemann, University of Oxford

“A treasure-hoard of extraordinary poems…Each poetic gem sparkles under Brian Murdoch’s touch as he applies his unparalleled erudition to every facet.” - Daniel Donoghue, Harvard University

“Concise, engaging introductions contextualize the material effectively, while sensitive translations preserve as much as possible of the original verse form.” - Carole Hough, University of Glasgow

“With this comprehensive anthology of texts and translations, Brian Murdoch has done a great service for students and teachers of all medieval Germanic languages.” - Rolf H. Bremmer, Jr., Leiden University

BRIAN MURDOCH received his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He is Professor Emeritus of German at Stirling University in Scotland, where he taught for most of his career. He has held Visiting Fellowships at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, at Magdalen College, Oxford, and Oriel College, Oxford. He has published numerous articles and books on medieval German and Latin literatures. His monographs include Old High German Literature (Twayne, 1983), The Germanic Hero (Hambledon, 1996), and Gregorius (Oxford University Press, 2012). As a literary translator, Murdoch’s works include Kudrun (Dent, 1987), All Quiet on the Western Front (Bodley Head, 1993), Three Political Tales from Medieval Germany (Boydell & Brewer, 2024), and Waltharius: The Latin Epic of Walther of Aquitaine (Uppsala Books, 2025).

Old High German Poetry: An Anthology