Wilhelm Hey

Wilhelm Hey
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Short Name: Wilhelm Hey
Full Name: Hey, Wilhelm 1789-1854
Birth Year: 1789
Death Year: 1854

Hey, Johann Wilhelm, son of H. A. Hey, pastor at Leina, near Gotha, was born at Leina, March 26, 1789. He studied at the Universities of Jena and Göttingen, became in 1811 licentiate in theology, and, after varied tutorial work, was appointed in 1818 pastor at Töttelstadt, near Gotha. In 1827 he became court preacher at Gotha, where his preaching attracted large audiences, but being regarded as a Pietist, was in 1832 appointed superintendent of Ichtershausen. He died at Ichtershausen, May 19, 1854 (Koch, vii. 262-266; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xii. 344-345; MS. from Pfarrer Ortlob of Leina).

Hey's poems were mostly written for children. The best known are his Fabeln für Kinder, with illustrations by Otto Speckter, of which the first fifty appeared at Hamburg, 1833, the second fifty in 1837. Since then they have passed through a large number of editions in German, and have been several times translated into English. At the end of each series is a "Serious Appendix," containing religious and moral songs. The whole of these two Appendices have been translated into English as Hymns and Poems for Little Children. Translated from the German. London, 1853. Also in the Fifty Fables, 1867, and Other Fifty Fables, 1869, translated by Sophie Klingemann, and published by F. A. Perthes at Gotha.

Very few of Hey's hymns are suited for Church use. Those which we have to note are:—
I. Hymns for Church Use.
i. Wenn auch vor deiner Thür eimnal. Christian Charity. First published in Knapp's Christoterpe, 1835, p. 68, in 9 stanzas of 4 lines, as the fifth hymn of a series on the words "Behold I stand at the door and knock," Rev. iii. 20. In Knapp's Evangelischer Lieder-Schatz, 1837, No. 2412 (1865, No. 2146), it was altered to "Christ! wenn die Armen manchesmal," and this form passed into the Württemberg Gesang-Buch 1842, and other recent collections. The only translation is, "Ah, Christian! if the needy poor," by Mrs. Findlater, in Hymns from the Land of Luther, 3rd Ser, 1858, p. 30 (1884, p. 152).
ii. Wenn je du wieder zagst. Passiontide. On Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. First published in Severin Vater's Jahrbuch für häusliche Andacht, Gotha, 1824, p. 173, as No. 9 of the "Reminiscences of the sufferings of Jesus; for the Quiet Days of the week before Easter," in 9 stanzas of 8 lines, with the motto "Not my will, but Thine be done." Included in Bunsen's Versuch, 1833; Knapp's Evangelischer Lieder-Schatz, 1850 and 1865, &c.
Translated as:—
Whene'er again thou sinkest. A good and full translation by Miss Winkworth in her Lyra Germanica, 2nd Ser., 1858, p. 26, and repeated, abridged, in Psalms & Hymns, Bedford, 1864, and in Holy Song, 1869.

II. Hymns for Children.
All those to be noted appeared in the Appendix to the 2nd Series of his Fabeln für Kinder, Hamburg, 1837.
iii. Alle Jahre wieder, kommt das Christus Kind. Christmas. 1837, p. 31, in 3 st. The translations are: (1) "The blessed feast of Christmas," in Hymns & Poems, 1853, p. 81. (2) "Every year that endeth," by Sophie Klingemann, 1869, p. 31. (3) "As each happy Christmas," by Mrs. H. K. Spaeth, as No. 33 in the Little Children's Book, Philadelphia, 1885.
iv. Aus dem Himmel ferne. God our Father. 1837, p. 7, in 4 stanzas. The translations are: (1) "From the glorious heav'n above," in Hymns & Poems, 1853, p. 49. (2) "From the glorious heaven," by Mrs. Sevan, 1859, p. 139. (3) “From the angels' dwelling," in Dr. F. Silcher's Song Book for the Young, Nelson, 1868, No. 1. (4) "From His heaven above," by Sophie Klingemann, 1869, p. 7. (5) "From the far blue heaven," as No. 676, in the Tribute of Praise, Boston, U.S., 1873.
v. Glöcklein klingt, Vöglein singt. Thanksgiving. 1837, p. 17 (in the ed. 1886, n.d., as part of Sonnentchein, Sternelein),in 5 stanzas. The translations are: (1) "The bells they ring, The birds they sing," in Hymns & Poems, 1853, p. 63. (2) "Bells do ring, birds do sing," in Silcher's Song Book, 1868, No. 9. (3) "Bells are ringing, Birds are singing," by Sophie Klingemann, 1869, p. 17. (4) "Church bells ring," by Mrs. H. R. Spaeth, in Little Children's Book 1885, No. 72.
vi. Weisst du wie viel Sternlein stehen. God's care of His creatures. 1837, p. 20, in 3 stanzas. The translations are: (1) "Canst thou sum up each brilliant star." In Hymns & Poems, 1853, p. 67. (2) "How many stars are shining," by Mrs. Bevan, 1859, p. 144. (3) "Can you tell the countless number," by Sophie Klingemann, 1869, p. 20. (4) "Canst thou count the stars that twinkle," in the Rev. C. S. Bere's Children's Choral Book, 1869, p. 4, repeated as No. 425 in the Universal Hymn Book,1885.
vii. Wen Jesus liebt Der kann allein. Love of Christ. 1837, p. 37, in 4 stanzas. The translations are: (1) "They who love Jesus alone can be gay," in Hymns & Poems, 1853, p. 90. (2) "The love of Christ makes ever glad," by Sophie Klingemann, 1869, p. 37. (3) "Whom Jesus loves," by Mrs. H. R. Spaeth, in Service & Hymns for Sunday Schools (Southern Lutheran), Philadelphia, 1883, p. 178. (4) "Whom Christ holds dear," by Prof. M. H. Richards, as No. 98 in the Little Children's Book, Philadelphia, 1885. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by Wilhelm Hey (49)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Ah [O], Christian, if the needy poorHey (Author)English5
Alle Jahre wieder kommt das ChristuskindJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German22
As each happy Christmas dawns on earth againWilhelm Hey (Author)English29
Aus dem Himmel ferne, wo die Englein sindJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German36
Bald ist es wieder NachtW. Hey (Author)German6
Bells do ring, birds do singJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)3
Birds in the branches highJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)2
Can you count the stars of eveningJohann Hey (Author)English6
Can you count the stars that shine outJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English1
Can you count the stars that nightly Twinkle in the midnight sky?Johann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English31
Canst thou count the stars up yonderJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English3
Christ! wenn die Armen manches MalWilhelm Hey, 1789-1854 (Author)German6
Church bells ring, sweet birds singWilhelm Hey (Author)English9
Das kleine Bienelein fliegt immer fleißig hin und herW. Hey (Author)German2
Die schönste Zeit, die liebste ZeitWilhelm Hey (Author)German9
Do you know how many starsJ. Wilhelm Hey (Author)English1
Du lieber Heiland Jesus ChristWilhelm Hey (Author)German1
Ein neues Jahr hat angefangen, Der liebe Gott hats uns geschenktJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German4
எண்ணக்கூடுமோ நீ, விண்ணில் (Eṇṇakkūṭumō nī, viṇṇil)Wilhelm Hey (Author)Tamil2
Ev'ry year the Christ childJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English2
From his throne in heavenJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English6
From the bright blue heavens, with the angels mildJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English4
From the distant beavenJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)1
From the far blue heavenJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English5
From yon distant heavenW. Hey (Author)4
Glockenton, du ernster KlangW. Hey (Author)German3
Glöcklein klingt, Vöglein singtJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German6
Hab' ich recht und wahr vernommenJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German3
Himmelfahrt ist heutW. Hey, 1789-1854 (Author)German7
Ist denn der liebe Heiland totW. Hey, 1790-1854 (Author)German4
O Christ, wenn Arme manchesmalJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German5
Sabes cuánta clara estrellaJohann Wilhelm Hey, 1789-1854 (Author)Spanish4
¿Sabes cuántas estrellitas En el cielo dan fulgor?Johann Hey (Author)Spanish2
¿Sabes cuántos claros astros dan al cielo su fulgor?Johann Wilhelm Hey (1789-1854) (Author)Spanish2
Singt Gottes Lob im Winter auchJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German11
Treuer Hirte Deiner SchaafeJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German4
Tu nichts Böses, tu es nichtJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German6
Vöglein im hohen BaumJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German17
Wajua kuzihesabuWilhelm Hey (Author)Swahili2
Weißt du, wie viel Sternlein stehenJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German30
Wen Jesus liebt, Wen Jesus liebtJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German26
Wenn ich in Bethlehem wär'Wilhelm Hey (Author)German8
Wer hat die Blumen nur erdachtWilhelm Hey (Author)German11
Whenever again thou sinkestJ. Wilhelm Hey (Author)English3
Whom Christ holds dearJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English5
Whom Jesus loves, whom Jesus lovesJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)English4
Wiesz ty, ile gwiazdek świeciWilhelm Hey (Author)Polish2
Wo wohnt der liebe Gott? Sieh dort den blauen HimmelJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German7
Wo zwei Brüder ganz vereint zu dem gutenJohann Wilhelm Hey (Author)German3

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