HELD Heinrich

HELD Heinrich (1620-ca. 1659) was son of Valentin Held of Guhrau, Silesia. He studied at the Universities of Königsberg (c. 1637-40), Frankfurt a. Oder (1643), and Leyden. He was also in residence at Rostock in 1647. He became a licentiate of law, and settled as a lawyer in his native place, where he died about 1659, or at least before Michaelmas, 1661 (Koch, iii. 55-56; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie., xi. 680; Bode, p. 87, &c).

    One of the best Silesian hymnwriters, he was taught in the school of affliction, having many trials to suffer in those times of war. His only extant poetical work is his Deutscher Gedichte Vortrab, Frankfurt a. Oder, 1643. Only one hymn from that volume came into German use. Much more important are his other hymns, which are known to us through Crüger's Praxis (Praxis pietatis melica (Practice of Piety in Song), a Protestant hymnal first published by Johann Crüger in 1647), and other hymnbooks of the period. Mützell, 1858, includes Nos. 254-272 under his name.

    An Advent song Gott sei Dank durch alle Welt (Hark! the Herald Angels Sing) was first published in Neu-erfundene Geistliche Wasser-Quelle (Johann Niedling), Frankfurt/Oder, 1658