For Rückert, this marked the beginning of an extremely productive period, one that was overshadowed by severe personal tragedies: In the winter of 1833–34, his children Luise and Ernst, aged three and five, died of scarlet fever. The poet expressed his deep grief in 428 “Songs on the Death of Children,” some of which were later set to music by Gustav Mahler. When Rückert left Erlangen in 1841, he had a birch tree planted on his children’s grave at the Neustadt Cemetery.
The “Rückert Birch” had to be severely pruned in February 2016. Only the lower part of the trunk remained at the children’s grave; a fragment of the trunk was recovered and has since been kept in the City Museum’s storage facility.
Photo: Dieter Zeitler
Our City Archives & Our City Museum
Erlangen City Museum
The City Museum, located in the heart of the Old Town, presents the history of the Erlangen region, from the earliest traces of human life to the modern 20th-century city known for Siemens and its university.
About the city archive
From a "collection point for antique objects" to a modern municipal archive: Here you will find further information on the tasks, structure and history of the municipal archive.
Short Stories from the City
Erlangen has a long and interesting history. There's a lot to tell. A look back.
Erlangen City Museum
The City Museum, located in the heart of the Old Town, presents the history of the Erlangen region, from the earliest traces of human life to the modern 20th-century city known for Siemens and its university.
About the city archive
From a "collection point for antique objects" to a modern municipal archive: Here you will find further information on the tasks, structure and history of the municipal archive.
Short Stories from the City
Erlangen has a long and interesting history. There's a lot to tell. A look back.