Johannes Daniel Falk (28 October 1768 Danzig – 14 February 1826 Weimar) was a German publisher and poet.
Falk was born in Danzig Royal Prussia, where he received his first education against the wishes of his father, who wanted to employ the child in his business as wig maker. The Danzig city council granted Falk a theology stipendium at Halle, but he did not become a preacher and frequented literary circles of Schiller and Goethe instead.
In 1816 he wrote the German text O Du Fröhliche.. to the melody of one of the most popular Christmas songs, O Sanctissima.
Falk was the founder of the Falk'sche Institute, a public education place for orphans in Weimar. He died in that city in 1826.
Famous quotes containing the words daniel and/or falk:
“It appeared that he had once represented his tribe at Augusta, and also once at Washington, where he had met some Western chiefs. He had been consulted at Augusta, and gave advice, which he said was followed, respecting the eastern boundary of Maine, as determined by highlands and streams, at the time of the difficulties on that side. He was employed with the surveyors on the line. Also he called on Daniel Webster in Boston, at the time of his Bunker Hill oration.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Americans are rather like bad Bulgarian wine: they don’t travel well.”
—Bernard Falk (1943–1990)