Bartholomäus Crasselius (Hymn-Writer)

Born: February 21, 1667 - Wernsdorf, near Glauchau (Saxony), Germany
Died: November 10, 1734 - Düsseldorf, Germany

Bartholomäus Crasselius [Crasselt] was a Lutheran Minister and poet of church hymns. A sun of a barrel-maker, he studied in Halle with August Hermann Franckes and was an eager pupil.

In 1701 Bartholomäus Crasselius became a minister in Nidda (Wetterau) and worked since 1708 in Düesseldorf. He appeared as an enormous repentance preacher, inconsiderately and undaunted. By his eager faith he aroused new life to the municipality. However his »babelstürmende« (Babylon storm) brought him also much controversy and reprimand. Thus he stood for many years in heavy fights with his authorities. Most of his hymns are fulfilled of this Elias spirit and punishing and repentance poems.

Of his hymns should be mentioned: Erwach, o Mensch, erwache and Ach Herr, wann kommt das Jahr, die Deinen zu erlösen? His most famous hymn is Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen (EKG 237).

Works

Geistl. Neujahrsposaune oder christl.-priesterl. Bull- u. Wächterstimme nach dem Hall und Schall des hl. göttl. Wortes z. ernstl. Warnung u. treuen Vermahnung (Bullgedicht v. 36 Strophen: Du Christenvolk verschiedner Arten), 1710; Eine hellposaunende zionitische Wächterstimme z. Offb. der Widerchristen u. ihrer Verwüstung u. z. Ermunterung der wahren Christen z. hl. Rüstung auf die Zukunft des Herrn (4 Gedichte, eins davon: O große Babylon, was soll dein falsches Prangen?), 1718.

Source: BBKL Website (Author: Friedrich William Bautz, March 2000), English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2006)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2003), Teddy Kaufman (May 2006)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 299; BWV 452

Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen (1697; EKG 237)

Links to other Sites

CRASSELIUS (Crasselt), Bartholomäus (BBKL) [German]

Bibliography

Max Göbel: Gesch. des christl. Lebens in der rhein-westfäl. ev. Kirche II, 1852, 642 ff. 850 ff.;
Adalbert Natorp: B. C. u. die alte Protestanten-Kirche an der Bergstr., Düsseldorf, in: Das Tor. Düsseldorfer Heimatbll. 17, 1951, 58 ff.
Koch IV, 418 ff.; - Hdb. z. EKG II/1, 218
ADB IV, 566 f.; - RGG I, 1879.