Heinrich Puchta

Puchta, Christian Rudolph Heinrich, son of W. H. Puchta, then residing as Justizrath at Kadolzburg, near Nürnberg, was born at Kadolzburg, Aug. 19, 1808. He matriculated at the University of Erlangen, in 1826, and completed his theological course at Berlin. In 1832 he was appointed Stadtvicar (general assistant preacher) at Munich, where he became acquainted with many men of light and leading; and in 1837 became repetent in theology at Erlangen. In 1839 he was appointed professor of Philosophy and Religion in the newly organised Lyceum at Speyer (Spires), but his nervous system broke down in 1841, and he had to be confined in the lunatic asylum of Winnenthal, Württemberg. After a year he was able to take charge of the parish of Eyb, near Ansbach, and then became, in 1852, second pastor, and in 1856, first pastor of St. James's Church, in Augsburg. He died at Augsburg, Sept. 12, 1858 (Koch, vii. 277; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie xxvi. 687, &c).

Puchta had a genuine poetic faculty, and a mastery of style. His early poems were secular; his later were mostly hymns. His hymns were mainly meant for private use, and appeared principally in his Morgen-und Abend Andachten am Christlichen Hausaltar in Gesängen, Erlangen, 1843 (2nd ed. 1857, 3rd 1868). Besides these, 38—including 11 translations from the Latin—-were given in Knapp's Christoterp, 1837-1852. A few others, with a selection of his poems, edited by Knapp, appeared in his posthumousGedichte, Stuttgart, 1860. Knapp in his Evangelischer Lieder, 1850, included 30 hymns by Puchta, and in his edition of 1865 no less than 42. Puchta was also one of the editors of the Bavarian Gesang-Buch, 1854.

Those of his hymns which have passed into English (all from his Hausaltar, 1843) are:—
i. Ein neues Jahr ist angefangen. New Year. In 1843, p. 173, as above, in 6 stanzas entitled, "New Year's Morning." In Knapp's Evangelischer Lieder-Schatz, 1850, No. 2104. Translated as, "Another year we now have enter'd," by Miss Burlingham, in the British Herald, January, 1866, p. 200, and Reid's Praise Book, 1872.
ii. Herr des Himmels, Gott der Gnade. Sunday. In 1843, p. 3, as above, in 6 st., entitled “Sunday Morning." In Knapp, 1850, No. 1171. Transalted as, "God of grace and Lord of heaven," in L. Rehfuess's Church at Sea, 1868, p. 88.
iii. Herr ein ganzer Leidenstag. For the Sick. In 1843, p. 227, as above, in 6 st., entitled, "In sickness. First evening." In Knapp, 1850, No. 2689. Translated as, ”Lord, a whole long day of pain," by Miss Winkworth, 1858, p. 81. Her st. i.-iv. are No. 263 in Bishop Ryle's Collection 1860. [Rev. James Mearns. M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)