Historical reference: Do not rely on this information. It is very old. About this collection
Becker, Nicolaus, was born near Aachen in 1810. Until 1840 he was an obscure lawyer's clerk, when he was inspired to write the famous patriotic song now known as the Wacht am Rhein. For a moment he became the most popular man in Germany, but he published a volume of lyrics that destroyed his reputation, and he died almost forgotten in 1845.