Matthias Claudius featured in Frankfurter Anthologie

The Frankfurter Anthologie has published a literary piece on German poet Matthias Claudius (1740‑1815). Born in Reinfeld, Holstein, Claudius studied theology and law before becoming a journalist, poet and translator. From 1771 to 1775 he edited the newspaper Wandsbecker Bote in what is now Hamburg, and he is best remembered for the evening hymn “Der Mond ist aufgegangen.”

The anthology also revives his lesser‑known poem “Der Schwarze in der Zuckerplantage,” first printed on 31 August 1773 in the Wandsbecker Bote. The anti‑slavery verses illustrate Claudius’s engagement with contemporary social issues alongside his more popular lyrical work.