Der arme Heinrich (Poor Henry) is a Middle High German verse narrative written by Hartmann von Aue, one of the most prominent German poets of the High Middle Ages. Composed around 1195, the story revolves around a wealthy and respected knight, Henry, who is struck by leprosy as punishment for his pride. He learns from doctors that he can only be cured by the heart's blood of a young virgin who must willingly sacrifice herself for him. A young peasant girl offers to do so out of compassion and religious conviction. The narrative explores themes of divine justice, redemption, humility, and the nature of true love and sacrifice. "Der arme Heinrich" is valued for its elegant style, complex characters, and its profound exploration of medieval religious and social values. It remains a significant work of Middle High German literature and continues to be studied for its literary and historical value.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
