the hearts of the German people to an extraordinary degree.

One of his hymns, published in 1630 under the group known as "Songs of
Tears," is entitled "Treuer Waechter Israel." It contains a striking line
imploring God to "build a wall around us." A very interesting story is
told concerning this hymn. On January 5, 1814, the Allied forces were
about to enter Schleswig. A poor widow and her daughter and grandson
lived in a little house near the entrance of the town. The grandson was
reading Heermann's hymns written for times of war, and when he came to
this one, he exclaimed, "It would be a good thing, grandmother, if our
Lord would build a wall around us."

Next day all through the town cries of terror were heard, but not a
soldier molested the widow's home. When on the following morning they
summoned enough courage to open their door, lo, a snowdrift had concealed
them from the view of the enemy! On this incident Clemens Brentano wrote
a beautiful poem, "Draus vor Schleswig."

Another remarkable story is recorded concerning Heermann's great hymn, "O
Jesus, Saviour dear." At Leuthen, in Silesia, December 5, 1757, the
Prussians under Frederick the Great were facing an army of Austrians
three times their number. Just before the battle began some of the
Prussians began to sing the second stanza of the hymn. The regimental
bands took up the music. One of the commanders asked Frederick if it
should be silenced. "No," said the king, "let it be. With such men God
will today certainly give me the victory." When the bloody battle ended
with victory for the Prussians, Frederick exclaimed "My God, what a power
has religion!"

Other famous hymns by Heermann include "O Christ, our true and only
Light," "Lord, Thy death and passion give" and "Faithful God, I lay
before Thee."

Many other noted hymn-writers belong to the period of the Thirty Years'
War, among them Martin Opitz, George Weissel, Heinrich Held, Ernst
Homburg, Johannes Olearius, Josua Stegmann, and Wilhelm II, Duke of
Saxe-Weimar.

Opitz was somewhat of a diplomat and courtier, as well as a poet. He was
a man of vacillating character, and did not hesitate to lend his support
to the Romanists whenever it served his personal interests. However, he
has left to posterity an imperishable hymn in "Light of Light, O Sun of
heaven." He is credited with having reformed the art of verse-writing in
Germany. He died of the pestilence in Danzig in 1639.

Homburg and Held wer