Oswald, Heinrich Siegmund

Oswald, Heinrich Siegmund a German divine of note, was born at Nimmerseet, in Silesia, June 30, 1751. After receiving his education at the school at Schmiedeberg, in Silesia, he went, in 1765 or 1766, into the office of his elder brother, who at that time held a public appointment. Seven years afterwards Oswald engaged himself as secretary to the landgrave of Glatz, but failing health obliged him to resign this position. He established himself in business at Breslau, but not meeting with success, he became a merchant's clerk. In 1790 Oswald became personally acquainted with king Frederick William II, who appointed him a court counselor, and afterwards a lector, and in 1791 a privy counselor. After the death of the king he retired with his family to Hirschberg, and later to Breslau, receiving a pension until his death, which occurred Sept. 8, 1834. His latter years Oswald had devoted to the production of musical, poetical, and religious works, and published in 1793 Gedichte und Lieder fiu's Herz. One of his best-known hymns, which is to be found in the Schwanengesdnge (Swan's Songs), is the one commencing "Wem in Leidenstagen" (English transl. by E. Cox in Hymns from the German, "Oh! let him whose sorrow"). Others of his hymns may be found in some of the modern hymn-books. See Koch Gesch. d. Kirchenliedes, 6:395 sq.; Sack, in Niedner's Zeitschrift fur histor. Theologie (1863), pt. iii; Miller, Singers and Songs of the Church, p. 303; Cox, Hymns from the German, p. 248; Knapp, -Evangelischer Liederschatz, p. 1340; Sch tz, Deutschlands Dichter undSchhriftsteller, v. (B. P.)