August Kopisch (26 May 1799 – 6 February 1853) was a German poet and painter.
Biography
Kopisch was born on 26 May 1799 in Breslau, Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland). In 1815 he began studying painting at the Prague academy, but an injury to his hand damaged his prospects of success as an artist, and he turned to literature.
In 1847 he moved to Potsdam and wrote an account of royal residences there and in the neighborhood.[1]
He died on 6 February 1853 at Berlin.
Works
Kopisch produced some original poetry, light in language and in form. He specialised in re-telling legends and popular subjects, and among his Gedichte (Berlin, 1836) are some naïve and humorous little ballads such as Die Historie von Noah, Die Heinzelmännchen zu Köln, Das grüne Tier and Der Schneiderjunge von Krippstedt, which became popular.
He also published a translation of Dante's Divine Comedy (Berlin, 1840), and under the title Agrumi (Berlin, 1838) a collection of translations of Italian folk songs.
Literature
Agrumi, volksthümliche Posien aus allen Mundarten Italiens und seiner Inseln. Crantz Verlag, Berlin 1838.
Allerlei Geister. Gedichte und Erzählungen. Mörike Verlag, München 1913 (mit der Ballade Die Heinzelmännchen zu Köln)
Die göttliche Komödie des Dante Alighieri. Metrische Uebersetzung nebst beigedrucktem Originaltexte. Brachvogel & Raubtiere, ist sehr berühmt geworden.