# Meister Hämmerling



## Löwenfrau

I'm not sure if I should translate "Hämmerling":

*Sehnsüchtelei *(H. Heine)

In dem Traum siehst du die stillen
Fabelhaften Blumen prangen;
Und mit Sehnsucht und Verlangen
Ihre Düfte dich erfüllen.

Doch von diesen Blumen scheidet
Dich ein Abgrund tief und schaurig,
Und dein Herz wird endlich traurig,
Und es blutet und es leidet.

Wie sie locken, wie sie schimmern! 
Ach wie komm’ ich da hinüber?
 Meister Hämmerling, mein Lieber,
Kannst du mir die Brücke zimmern?

This is a name for the Devil, and comes from the mythological figure of Thor. But is there a standard translation in English? I couldn't find it in Portuguese. I hope somebody knows!


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## Hutschi

Hi, Meister + Name (vom Beruf) is often used in German fairy tales and older (folklore) poetry.

Meister Hämmerling has a relation to "Brücke zimmern". (Master Carpenter)
But Carpenter misses "Hammer".

I'd use "Master Hammering".  I found it sometimes in Google, but native English speakers could say whether it works. 
"...ling" adds a kind of Irony missing in "Hammering", maybe.


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## Hutschi

PS:
The New And Complete Dictionary Of The German And English Languages



> (By way of jesting) Jack-Catch, Hangman



I did not see this until now, because "Meister Hämmerling" is dated, but in the poem it makes sense.

I do not think that the poem is about Thor, but it makes sense that it is about death, dreams's brother.

Bridge to death ...

I think, the style of the poem is a kind of ironic, and it jokes about romantics.

EDIT:
I found also: Hämmerling (Universalwörterbuch)





> [*]*Hämmerling* — bezeichnet: volkstümlich die Goldammer [...]
> 
> 
> [*]*Hämmerling* — (Meister H., auch Hämmerlein, wohl von Thors Beinamen Hammer), alle Bezeichnung des Teufels,  …  Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon
> 
> 
> [*]*Hämmerling [1]* — Hämmerling, 1) bei Marionettenspielern der Lustigmacher; 2) Freiknecht; 3) Nachrichter; 4) Poltergeist, besonders 5) Berggeist, welcher seine Gegenwart durch Hämmern zu erkennen gibt …  Pierer's Universal-Lexikon*...*



I omitted the duplications.
Maybe the poem contains multiple meanings.

Heine knew Hämmerling=Henker
Wörterbuchnetz - Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm


> H. Heine braucht eine form meister Hemling, die willkürlich aus Hämmerling verstümmelt zu sein scheint: meister Hemling, der dir dein haupt abschlug, armer Thomas Münzer, er war in gewisser hinsicht wol berechtigt zu solchem verfahren: denn er hatte das schwert in händen und sein arm war stark. über Börne 140.



---
Compare also "Todessehnsucht der Romantik" -> Sehnsüchtelei.
Heine verspottet hier die Todessehnsucht der Romantik. 
Meister Hämmerling, hilf mir hinüber (über den Styx) - aber über eine Brücke.


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## Löwenfrau

Hutschi said:


> Maybe the poem contains multiple meanings.



Do you think it could also mean that the lyrical subject is willing to make a deal with the Devil - like in Goethe's _Faust_ - in order to reach the other side?
I have a feeling this is not about death, but achieving the impossible.


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## Hutschi

It is not impossible but I'm in doubt.

Devil (Mephisto) was part of Sturm und Drang" and "Klassik" area.

"Sehnsüchtelei" is a parody on Romantik.

If the devil is a carpenter coming as Zimmermann/Hämmerling it is possible.
But there is more evidence for Hämmerling builds a bridge to death.

I did not read it this way until today when I found the entry in the dictionary, this was a kind of a key.

I think it is about death, not about contract with devil.

Maybe some others join the discussion with another opinion.
But to me the poem makes sense now, including the title.


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## Löwenfrau

But did you consider the fact that on the other side, which he could only reach with Hämmerling's help, there are the fabulous flowers?

"In dem Traum siehst du die stillen
Fabelhaften Blumen prangen...

... 

Wie sie locken, wie sie schimmern! 
Ach wie komm’ ich da hinüber?"

There seems to be life on the other side, not death. Unless we think the flowers are an illusion, but then again, the lyrical subject would know that, because he evoces Hämmerling himself.

Besides, 



Hutschi said:


> Devil (Mephisto) was part of Sturm und Drang" and "Klassik" area.
> 
> "Sehnsüchtelei" is a parody on Romantik.



can we separate things so categorically?


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## Hutschi

Beautiful flowers - and the search for them - were a special symbol of Romantik poetry.

A problem with language: I separated things categorically - but things are always a little bit fuzzy.

It is just what I read in the poem: not about devil but about a helper to cross the valley.

After recognizing that "Hämmerling" is a synonyme for Henker (via Zimmermann, der den Galgen baut) I think, it is about death, or at least about dreaming (brother of death).
It is not about contracts with devil, at least I do not see anithing about it.

And it is romantic and at the same time a paroy or critic.
"Sehnsüchtelei" is not "Sehnsucht" but a fake of Sehnsucht.

Important is that Heine used "Hämmerling" also as synonym for Henker at another place.

---
It may be, that double or triple meaning is possible. (devil, Hanswurst)

It is interesting how many meanings "Hämmerling" has.

So it also may be a ghost from the forest.
---
It is a dream, but may also be (in addition) a daydream.

---
I do not think it is about a new Faust and Mephisto story. Faust was active. Not about "Sehnsüchtelei".
If devil - no thought about contract, but about crossing the valley to the unreachable.


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## Löwenfrau

Hutschi said:


> "Sehnsüchtelei" is not "Sehnsucht" but a fake of Sehnsucht.



Yes. But "Sehnsüchtelei" is not necessarily a fake of "Sehnsucht": it could also mean an excessive Sehnsucht; like the difference between 'sentiment' and 'sentimentalism'. Not necessarily fake. Oder?



Hutschi said:


> I do not think it is about a new Faust and Mephisto story. Faust was active. Not about "Sehnsüchtelei".



Yes, only in the sense that he could be appealing to the Devil. But I think your interpretation is more accurate.

Thank you!


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## berndf

Hutschi said:


> If the devil is a carpenter coming as Zimmermann/Hämmerling it is possible.


You are on the wrong track here. It is stated in #1 and you quoted it yourself in #3: The meaning _Hämmerling = devil _has nothing to do with a _Zimmermann.
_
This meaning is mediated by the mythological figure of _Thor*_, the Germanic God who carries the hammer _Mjölnir_ as a weapon. There is no association with a carpenter whatsoever.
______________
_*If this is really the true etymology or just popular belief doesn't matter. What matters is what the poet and his readers associated with it at the time the poem was written._


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## Hutschi

Hi Bernd, what do you think is meant?
Zimmermann/Henker (via Galgen zimmern as shown in the dictionary)
or
Thor
devil
etc.?


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## berndf

I discussed only the meaning _devil_ and none of the others:


Hutschi said:


> If the devil is a carpenter coming as Zimmermann/Hämmerling it is possible


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## Hutschi

Thank you, Bernd.
In my remark I meant that it can only be the devil, if you cannot recognize him as devil but he comes as carpenter/hangman.


> The meaning _Hämmerling = devil _has nothing to do with a _Zimmermann._


 - This is clear. There are only Hämmerling = carpenter -> hangman.

So we can read it that 1. a real carpenter should come, or 2. that someone bringing death should come.

Nevertheless other meanings could be in the background in poetry, because poetry is always fuzzy.

I think "Thor" is excluded, as well as devil or joker in the stricter context of the poem.  But they are excluded by meaning, not by the name. Nevertheless they may come to mind.

Before the discussion I read it as "Carpenter"/"Zimmermann/Brückenbauer".
Only after I found the connection to "hangman" I read the poem in very other sense. And all strangeness "Ungereimtheiten" disappeared if  it is about death rather than a usual journey.


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## berndf

Hutschi said:


> I think "Thor" is excluded, as well as devil or joker in the stricter context of the poem.


Except if
_Kannst du mir die Brücke zimmern?_
is a mere pun.


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## Hutschi

berndf said:


> Except if
> _Kannst du mir die Brücke zimmern?_
> is a mere pun.




---
It is always possible to read more things in a poem than the poet thought.


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## Löwenfrau

With all these informations, I think he means Hämmerling like a sort of illusionist, magician, who could build the bridge out of nothing (like when a magician takes a rabbit out of his hat), which means, pathetically, that he knows the bridge would dissipate the very moment he stepped on it. This works with Hutschi remark that 'Sehnsüchtelei' ist a _fake_ of 'Sehnsucht': the lyrical subject knows that the other side is only a dream, then he asks an illusionist to create an unexisting bridge. That is perfectly ironic...


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## Kajjo

Löwenfrau said:


> I think he means Hämmerling like a sort of illusionist, magician, who could build the bridge out of nothing


I don't really think so. To the contrary, this is part of a dream and _Meister Hämmerling_ is the devil. So the dreaming person asks the devil to build a bridge across the ravine --maybe ready to die to reach the other side or ready to make a deal with devil.

I don't think there is any notion of magician or diappearing bridges. It's about the longing to cross sides, about a yearning that cannot be fulfilled in this life.

And yes, as berndf pointed out, the association with Thor's hammer and carpenter is a simple pun. The bridge is just virtual and represents the means to cross sides.


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## Löwenfrau

Kajjo said:


> I don't really think so. To the contrary, this is part of a dream and _Meister Hämmerling_ is the devil. So the dreaming person asks the devil to build a bridge across the ravine --maybe ready to die to reach the other side or ready to make a deal with devil.
> 
> I don't think there is any notion of magician or diappearing bridges. It's about the longing to cross sides, about a yearning that cannot be fulfilled in this life.
> 
> And yes, as berndf pointed out, the association with Thor's hammer and carpenter is a simple pun. The bridge is just virtual and represents the means to cross sides.




So you agree with the first part of my following post?:



Löwenfrau said:


> Do you think it could also mean that the lyrical subject is willing to make a deal with the Devil - like in Goethe's _Faust_ - in order to reach the other side?
> I have a feeling this is not about death, but achieving the impossible.



As to the second part, the thing is that the other side, the impossible, is precisely a dreamed here-after.


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## Frank78

The description rather sounds like heaven not like hell. So I think Hämmerling is not the devil but Thor himself.



berndf said:


> Except if
> _Kannst du mir die Brücke zimmern?_
> is a mere pun.



That would be another hint. It reads like this bridge is the Bifröst which connects Midgard (our world) and Asgard (the realm of the gods).

But I have no clue how firm Heine was in Germanic mythology.


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## Hutschi

Hi, it is in several myths that there is a connection between the worlds, and somebody connecting them.

But why the devil? ... and why Thor?
It is not impossible because the word has many meanings. But the devil is not known to build bridges to death. He is known to catch souls by making contracts.
I think it is more like "Death" (Gevatter Tod) (with the nick name of a hangman/Henker). Or like Charon crossing the styx with his ferry. But here we do not have the river but a valley.

Devil and Thor might be possible, but I think it is much too big for this poem.
How do they fit the picture?


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## berndf

Hutschi said:


> Devil and Thor might be possible, but I think it is much too big for this poem.
> How do they fit the picture?


I agree. _Devil _is not the most likely meaning. The most plausible meaning is _Death_.


Hutschi said:


> I think it is more like "Death" (Gevatter Tod) (with the nick name of a hangman/Henker). Or like Charon crossing the styx with his ferry.


Agreed. The association with _Charon _also explains _bridge _as a means to cross the Styx.

Heine used at another place _Meister Hemling_ (an apparent variant of _Meister Hämmlein_) for _Henker_ (_executioner_):
_Meister Hemling, der dir den dein Haupt abschlug, armer Thomas Müntzer, er in gewisser Hinsicht wohl berechtigt zu solchem Verfahren: Denn er hatte das Schwert in Händen, und sein Arm war stark._


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## Löwenfrau

berndf said:


> Heine used at another place _Meister Hemling_ (an apparent variant of _Meister Hämmlein_) for _Henker_ (_executioner_):
> _Meister Hemling, der dir den dein Haupt abschlug, armer Thomas Müntzer, er in gewisser Hinsicht wohl berechtigt zu solchem Verfahren: Denn er hatte das Schwert in Händen, und sein Arm war stark._



@berndf , would you know the reference?

This is very likely, although we cannot be sure.


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## Löwenfrau

Sources do indicate that Heine used "Meister Hämmerling" and "Meister Hemling" as Henker:

Gedichte 1827-1844 und Versepen. Kommentar I

Prosa 1836-1840. Kommentar

Hutschi already said that in #3.


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## berndf

Löwenfrau said:


> would you know the reference?


Here. The reference given there (in case the link goes stale): Heine, _Sämtliche Schriften_, Bd.5, S.59.


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## Löwenfrau

There is only one thing I find weird. I don't see the relation between a hangman and a carpenter, between a hangman and building bridges.


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## berndf

There is no relation to a carpenter (except a possible pun)


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## Hutschi

As far as I see the connection is the gallow. #3 dictionary says “by way of jesting“.


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## Löwenfrau

Hutschi said:


> #3 dictionary says “by way of jesting“



What about?


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## berndf

Hutschi said:


> As far as I see the connection is the gallow


Ich verstehe Deine Logik nicht. Was hat den der Scharfrichter oder Henker (im Übrigen habe ich den Eindruck, dass sich _Hämmerling_ vor allem auf den Scharfrichter und nicht so sehr auf den Henker bezieht, zumindest bei Heine) mit dem Aufbau eines Galgens zu tun? Ich benutze ein Auto in meiner Arbeit um zu Kunden zu gelangen. Macht mich das zu einem Autobauer oder Mechaniker? Ich fahr doch das Auto nur und baue es nicht.


Hutschi said:


> dictionary says “by way of jesting“.


Ich verstehe die Bemerkung nicht. Wer macht was durch _Scherzen (jesting)_?


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## Kajjo

I think we get astray.

If Hämmerling refers to Thor, referring to his symbolic hammer, and in a wider sense refers to death, then this line of Heine simply refers to dreaming about reaching the other side by death. Why not keep it simply?


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## Hutschi

It is the following way:

The New And Complete Dictionary Of The German And English Languages



> "By way of chesting: Hangman, Jack-Catch"



Der Zimmermann zimmert den Galgen. Das wird dann übertragen auf den Henker. (Wahrscheinlich haben auch Henker den Galgen gezimmert. Dazu wurde gehämmert.)
Damit wurde "Zimmermann" zu "Hämmerling" (leicht verächtlich: derjenige, der hämmert - den Galgen zimmert. (Remember the movie "Cat Ballou".)

Und scherzhaft (sowie als Euphemismus) wurde Hämmerling für Henker gebraucht.

In unserem Fall: derjenige der den Weg/die Brücke ins Totenreich zimmert/hämmert.


---
The carpenter makes the gallows. This word is then transferred to be the executioner/Hang-man. (Probably executioners timbered the gallows. These were hammered -> "Hämmerling".)
"Zimmermann" became "Hämmerling" (one who hammers makes the gallow. The word "Hämmerling" is a little bit pejorative. )

And jokingly (and as a euphemism) Hämmerling became an euphemistic nickname for executioners.

In our case, he is the one who builds the bridge into the realm of death.
So he becomes/is a carpenter. Father death.


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## berndf

Hutschi said:


> Das wird dann übertragen auf den Henker.


Wie kommst Du darauf?


Hutschi said:


> Wahrscheinlich haben auch Henker den Galgen gezimmert.


Sicher nicht.

Die Interpretation _Hämmerling = Gefatter Tod_ ist doch sehr viel nahelegender, zumal Heine an anderer Stelle, wie bereits erwähnt das Wort im Sinne von _Scharfrichter_ und nicht von _Henker_ verwendet.


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## Hutschi

Die Frage wäre wäre für mich: Wie kommt das Wörterbuch darauf? (Bzw. Wie kamen die Leute darauf?)
---

Ich sehe den Unterschied zwischen Henker und Scharfrichter hier nicht als so wesentlich.
Wie kommt man von Hämmerling auf Tod?
Von Sensenmann - ist es klar. Hier gibt es die Verbindung zu Scharfrichter (im engeren Sinn).

---
(edit) PS: Das Problem ist, dass wir es mit Metaphern zu tun haben, also Wörtern, die in übertragener Bedeutung verwendet werden. Deshalb ist es schwer, eine eindeutige Antwort zu finden.


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## berndf

Hutschi said:


> Ich sehe den Unterschied zwischen Henker und Scharfrichter hier nicht als so wesentlich.


Für *Dein *Argument wäre es das schon, weil der _Scharfrichter _nichts mit einem Galgen zu tun hat.


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## Hutschi

Wörterbuchnetz - Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm



> 2)*beiname des henkers: dehne und strecke das wort wie meister Hemmerling Buschwalpen*. reim dich 62; meister Hämmerling, der fürchterliche wahrheitsforscher, wurde hereinberufen, durch die beredsamkeit seiner stählernen argumente (der folterwerkzeuge) ihn zu vermögen, gott und der obrigkeit die ehre anzuthun, sich um den hals zu bekümmern. Musäusvolksmärchen2, 65; *meister Hämmerling, der scharfrichter.* 5, 240; weil ja seit mehr als dreiszig jahren unter so manchen muthwilligen, lästerlichen und schandbaren büchern .. meines wissens nur ein einziges, flüchtiges, harmloses blatt vom meister Hemmerling geopfert worden. Hamann4, 104;



Grimm hat noch einige andere Bedeutungen von Hämmerling beschrieben, die im Gedicht möglich wären. Die meisten haben wir besprochen.
(Teufel, Gespenst, böser Geist usw.)


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## Löwenfrau

I've found two very interesting and truthfull informations in the "Dictionary of symbols" by Jean Chevalier:

1) For Hämmerling as the devil: there is a tradition in which you give a soul to the devil in exchange for his help in building a bridge (to reach your desire?). (This can include death, since once you sell you soul to the devil, it belongs to him in the here-after)
2) For Hämmerling as Thor: the hammer has a demiurgical power (in this case to build the bridge).

I think Heine might be using these two meanings combined; or rather: he means something demiurgical very close to evil. 
I still think that the reference to a hangman is far-fetched.


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## berndf

Löwenfrau said:


> I still think that the reference to a hangman is far-fetched.


Yes, I fully agree.


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## Hutschi

> For Hämmerling as the devil: there is a tradition in which you give a soul to the devil in exchange for his help in building a bridge (to reach your desire?). (This can include death, since once you sell you soul to the devil, it belongs to him in the here-after)


This works ...


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