KOREA PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY Vol. 52 No. 4 The German Church Hymn Ein feste Burg by Martin Luther: Its Reception in Germany and in Korea During and Between the World Wars PARK Sa-Ra, Dr. Phil. Doctor, Music Theory Texas State University, USA I. Introduction II. Reception in Germany During and Between the World Wars III. Reception in Korea During the World Wars IV. Interpretation V. Conclusion Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 52 No. 4 (2020. 11), 261-280 DOI: 10.15757/kpjt.2020.52.4.010 262 KOREA PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY Vol. 52 No. 4 Abstract In contrast to the intent of Martin Luther, the church hymn Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott [A Mighty Fortress is our God] was misused in the 19th century as a ‘national anthem’ [Nationalhymne] by the Germans and as a ‘fight song’ [Kampflied] against Englishmen, Russians, and Frenchmen during World War I. At that time, Ein feste Burg was sung not only in Germany, but also in other countries, used in a political context. At the beginning of the 20th century, for example, it was introduced through American missionaries to Korea. Luther’s Ein feste Burg was sung not only in worship services, but also outside of church. It played an important role for Korean Christians, especially during the Japanese colonization (1910-1945). Under the Japanese rule, Koreans aimed at the independence of their country. Among the activities by the resistance, the March 1st Movement [Samil Undong], which took place in 1919, was of significance. Although it was brutally oppressed by Japanese soldiers, it spread throughout the country. It was there, where the Korean Christians sang Luther’s Ein feste Burg. Under these different circumstances (in Europe and in Asia), the church hymn by Luther was sung in different political contexts in Germany and Korea during and between the World Wars. Because of its reception history in Germany, Luther’s hymn is nowadays criticized. In contrast, it is still a favorite song for the Korean Christians. This study deals with the comparison and relationship between the reception of Luther’s hymn in Germany and Korea. Keywords Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, Martin Luther, Reception of Church Hymn, World Wars, Japanese Colonization The German Church Hymn Ein feste Burg by Martin Luther DOI: 10.15757/kpjt.2020.52.4.010 263 I. INTRODUCTION It is not sure when Luther composed the church hymn Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott. Since it was contained in the hymnal published by Joseph Klug in 1529 in Wittenberg, we assume that it could have originated in 1527/28.1 Luther’s lyrics are based on Psalm 46,2 while he used that Bible passage for the first stanza, and the other three stanzas were freely written.3 Luther’s Ein feste Burg spread quickly, not only in Germany, but also in other countries. The hymn is a steadfast repertoire of the Reformation Sunday. Most people believe that the hymn is directly related to Luther’s reformation. Some hymnologists attempted earlier to explain the influence of the Diet of Worms in 1521 or theAugsburg Confession in 1530 on the origin of that hymn.4 In contrast, Ein feste Burg was sung in the 16th century on the third Sunday after Lent.5 In Germany, Luther’s hymn is nowadays criticized, because it was earlier misused. Especially during the 19th century and during the World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, Ein feste Burg was interpreted in the national and ecclesio-political context. In the 19th century, the hymn was considered as a German national anthem. In 1875/76, the German philosopher Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) called Ein feste Burg “the Marseillaise of the 16th century”.6 Beside church 1 Gerhard Hahn, “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,” in Liederkunde zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch (= Handbuch zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch 3), 17, ed. Wolfgang Herbst and Ilsabe Seibt (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2012), 65. The first edition of Klug’s hymnal, which was in possession of Georg Ernst Waldau until 1788, was later lost. The following edition of 1533 still contained Ein feste Burg. Karl C. Thust, Die Lieder des Evangelischen Gesangbuchs 2 (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2015), 186. 2 The original headline is written “Der xlvi Psalm / Deus noster refugium et virtus,” Karl C. Thust,Lieder des Evangelischen Gesangbuchs 2, 186. 3 Ibid. 4 Hermann Kurzke, Hymnen und Lieder der Deutschen (= excerpta classica V) (Mainz: Dieterich’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1990), 186. 5 Ibid., 187. In the German liturgy, the hymn is today also placed in the Lent season. “Liturgischer Kalender,” in Evangelisches Gesangbuch, Ausgabe für die Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau, ed. based on the resolution of Achte Kirchensynode der Evangelischen Kirche in Hessen und Nassau from December 3, 1993 (Frankfurt am Main: Spener Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1994), 954. 6 Hermann Kurzke, Hymnen und Lieder, 199. Already in 1834, the German poet 264 KOREA PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY Vol. 52 No. 4 services, Luther’s hymn was sung at the emperor’s birthdays and in military parades.7 It was contained in all military hymnals, later also in the Hitler song collection, the Hitler-Liederbuch.8 During the World Wars, Luther’s hymn was used as a fight song against other countries.9 For that purpose, Luther’s text was changed, and many parodies were created. In Korea, the church hymn Ein feste Burg appeared for the first time in the Chansyeongsi [Church Hymns] of 1905.10 Especially during the Japanese colonization (1910-1945), it influenced the Korean Christians. They sang the church hymn not only in the church worship, but also outside of church. For Koreans, Luther’s hymn was a particular song that gave them spiritual consolation and courage against the injustice under the Japanese rule. On March 1, 1919, a significant independent movement called the March 1st Movement [Samil Undong] took place. It was a nonviolent movement by the Koreans for the independence of Korea, in which the majority of the participants belonged to Christianity. Although it was brutally oppressed by Japanese soldiers, it spread throughout the country. It was there, where the Korean Christians sang Luther’s Ein feste Burg. The Japanese regime that recognized the effect of Luther’s hymn forbade the church hymn to sing and commanded to take the hymn out from all hymn books. This paper consists of three main parts: first, “Reception in Germany During and Between the World Wars”; second, “Reception in Korea During the World Wars”; and third, “Interpretation”. In the first section, “Reception in Germany During and Between the World Wars”, some examples will be presented in which the hymn text was changed and modified, in order to show how Luther’s hymn was misused in Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) alluded to that in a similar way. Karl Thust,Lieder des Evangelischen Gesangbuchs 2, 192. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 9 Hermann Kurzke, Hymnen und Lieder, 199. 10 Cho Sook-Ja, Hangung Gaesingyochansongga Yeongunonmunjip [Collection of Studies on the Korean Protestant Hymnal] (Seoul: Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary Press, 2007), 67; Na Jin-Gyu, “Choechoui Hangukchansonggajipdeurui Beonyeokja, Jaksajadeure Daehan Yeongu 2” [Study on the Translators and Authors of the First Korean Hymnals 2], Music and Korea 51 (2016), 148. The German Church Hymn Ein feste Burg by Martin Luther 265 the national and political contexts. In the second section, “Reception in Korea During the World Wars”, the independent movement March 1st Movement will be explored, in order to show, how Ein feste Burg influenced the Koreans and which effect it had on them. Furthermore, the prohibition (the ban) of the Japanese regime and its control over the church hymns will be examined. In the third section, “Interpretation”, the reception of Luther’s hymn in Germany and Korea during the World Wars will be collectively considered, while the text used in different contexts will be examined. This paper aims to give a possible reason of why Luther’s hymn is nowadays criticized in Germany, but it is still a favorite song by the Korean Christians. II. RECEPTION IN GERMANY DURING AND BETWEEN THE WORLD WARS In Table 1, the German original text and the English translation by Frederick H. Hedge are shown so that one can know about the content. Table 1. Ein feste Burg – Its Original Text and the English Translation by Frederick H. Hedge1112 German Original Text11) English Translation by Frederick H. Hedge12) Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, A mighty fortress is our God, ein gute Wehr und Waffen. a bulwark never failing; Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not, our helper frees us from the flood die uns jetzt hat betroffen. of mortal ills prevailing. Der alt böse Feind For still our ancient foe, mit Ernst er’s jetzt meint; forsworn to work us woe, groß Macht und viel List with guile and dreadful might sein grausam Rüstung ist, is armed to wage the fight: auf Erd ist nicht seinsgleichen. on earth there is no equal. 11 Karl Thust, Lieder des Evangelischen Gesangbuchs 2, 362. The text contained in the German current hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch of 1993 was adapted from its previous hymn book Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch of 1950. This included the original text, while the text was modernized in orthography and punctuation. Hermann Kurzke, Hymnen und Lieder, 199. 12 Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Pew Edition, Fourth Printing (Minneapolis: Augs- burg Fortress, 2007), 505. Henry’s translation is considered as a good and full translation. 266 KOREA PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY Vol. 52 No. 4 Mit unserer Macht ist nichts getan, If we in our own strength confide, wir sind gar bald verloren; our striving turns to losing; es streit’ für uns der rechte Mann, the righteous one fights by our side, den Gott hat selbst erkoren.