Simon von Geldern
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Simon von Geldern (1720–1774) was a German traveler and author.
He was the great-uncle of Heinrich Heine, who describes him in his "Memoirs" as an adventurer and Utopian dreamer. The cognomen "Oriental" was given him because of his long journeys in Oriental countries. He spent many years in the maritime cities in the north of Africa and in the Moroccan states, there learning the trade of armorer, which he carried on with success.
Von Geldern made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and during an ecstasy of prayer, while upon Mount Moriah, he had a vision. Subsequently, he was chosen by an independent tribe of Bedouins on one of the oases of the North-African desert as their leader or sheikh, and thus became the captain of a band of marauders. He next visited the European courts, and subsequently took refuge in England to escape the consequences of the discovery of his too gallant relations with a lady of high birth. He pretended to have a secret knowledge of the Cabala, and issued a pamphlet in French verse entitled "Moïse sur Mont Horeb", probably having reference to the above-mentioned vision.
See also
- Heine, Geldern
- Gustav Heine von Geldern
- Robert von Heine-Geldern
Bibliography (of Jewish Encyclopedia)
- Memoirs of Heinrich Heine, ed. Evans, pp. 167–172 ;
- Kaufmann, David, Aus Heinrich Heine's Ahnensaal, 1896 ;
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Joseph Jacobs & Goodman Lipkind (1901–1906). "GELDERN, SIMON VON". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
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- "On Wings of Song" (1827)
- "Die Lotosblume" (1840)
- "The Silesian Weavers" (1844)
- "Germany. A Winter's Tale" (1844)
- Die Harzreise (1826)
- "Der Doppelgänger" (1828)
- "Dichterliebe" (1840)
- Liederkreis, Op. 24 (1840)
- Frühlingslied, WAB 68 (1851)
- "Du bist wie eine Blume, WAB 64" (1861)
- William Ratcliff (1869)
- Guglielmo Ratcliff (1895)
- Deaf to Our Prayers (2006)
- Gustav Heine von Geldern (brother)
- Maximilian Meyer Heine (brother)
- Salomon Heine (uncle/patron)
- Armand Heine (cousin)
- Michel Heine (cousin)
- Alice Heine (distant cousin)
- Robert von Heine-Geldern (grandnephew)
- Simon von Geldern (great uncle)
- Karl Marx (third cousin once removed)