Wanderers Nachtlied

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Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Wanderers Nachtlied

Über allen Gipfeln
Ist Ruh,
In allen Wipfeln
Spürest du
Kaum einen Hauch;
Die Vögelein schweigen im Walde
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch!
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Goethe wrote this poem on the wall of his hunting lodge in Kickelhahn during the night of September 6-7, 1780. He later restored the inscription in 1813. In 1831, shortly before his death, he visited him again to see it again. His companion described the visit in his diary:

"Entering the upper room, [Goethe] said: 'One summer I spent eight days here with my servant, and then I wrote a little poem here on the wall. I would like to see this poem again, and if the day on which it is written is also written, please write it for me.' Then I led him to the southern window of the room, where on the left side [...] [the text of the poem] was written in pencil [...] Goethe read it out [...] and his tears flowed. He very slowly took a snow-white handkerchief from the pocket of his dark brown linen coat, dried his tears, and said in a gentle, sorrowful voice: - Yes, just wait, you will calm down soon too! ' He was silent for half a minute, looked out the window into the dark pine forest, and then turned to me with these words: "We can go now."