Opitz Martinvon

Opitz, Martin von (1597-1639), "the Swan of Silesia," was born at Bober. He obtained great reputation as a writer of didactic poetry (Buck von der deutschen Poeterei, etc.), and was one of the earliest writers in German. He was protected by several of the minor princes of Germany, especially Count von Dohna, and was ennobled and given the poetic crown by the Emperor Ferdinand II. In 1622 he was invited to Transylvania by the celebrated Bethlen Gabor and appointed to a chair of philosophy; after his return to Germany he became historiographer of Poland. He died at Dantzig.