Silesius

Silesius


”The Cherubic Wanderer” was a Catholic priest in Germany during the final phase of the 30 years war – in a way first of the world wars and without doubt first “total war”. As a matter of fact Finns were in the Swedish army at least nominally fighting for their Lutheran belief against Papism. “Angelus Silesius” was an enemy in at least two senses and therefore mostly unknown in this country, as far as I know.
Some of us really are aware of the great poets living in Germany – like Paul Gerhard,  who wrote “O Häupt voll Blut und Wunde”, best known as “the pslam in St. Matthew’s Passion by Bach. Gerhard and his friends and competitors are among the persons of the remarkable novel “Treffen im Telgte” by Günther Grass. But as a catholic and a converted Lutheran priest Sileius – originally Johann Scheffler – was as far as possible from the sometimes stuffy Lutheran clergymen.
His enigmatic verses have been translated into English. They are very difficult – rhymed alexandrine. In some way he achieved and amalgamated the means and ends of a language in exactly the same way as Rainer Maria Rilke 250 years later.
he was a friend of Jacob Böhme and a very good example of something many people know nothing about – the Christian tradition of mystics.
I am not inclined to use unnecessary links in these notes. If Google seems crowded, use a9.com – it is very good in everything about people, living and deceased. The site on Angelus Silesius contains pictures. One copperplate or woodcut is very enigmatic.