HAGEN

hagen, friedrich heinrich von der (1780-1856), german philologist, chiefly distinguished for his researches in old german literature, was born at schmiedeberg in brandenburg on the 19th of february 1780. after studying law at the university of halle, he obtained a legal appointment in the state service at berlin, but in 1806 resigned this office in order to devote himself exclusively to letters. in 1810 he was appointed _professor extraordinarius_ of german literature in the university of berlin; in the following year he was transferred in a similar capacity to breslau, and in 1821 returned to berlin as _professor ordinarius_. he died at berlin on the 11th of june 1856. although von der hagen's critical work is now entirely out of date, the chief merit of awakening an interest in old german poetry belongs to him. his principal publications are the _nibelungenlied_, of which he issued four editions, the first in 1810 and the last in 1842; the _minnesinger_ (leipzig, 1838-1856, 4 vols, in 5 parts); _lieder der altern edda_ (berlin, 1812); _gottfried von strassburg_ (berlin, 1823); a collection of old german tales under the title _gesamtabenteuer_ (stuttgart, 1850, 3 vols.) and _das heldenbuch_ (leipzig, 1855). he also published _uber die altesten darstellungen der faustsage_ (berlin, 1844); and from 1835 he edited _das neue jahrbuch der berlinischen gesellschaft fur deutsche sprache und altertumskunde_. his correspondence with c. g. heyne and g. f. benecke was published by k. dziatzko (leipzig, 1893).