1789–1854

Introduction

Born: March 26, 1789, Lei­na (near Go­tha), Ger­ma­ny.

Died: May 19, 1854, Ich­ters­haus­en, Ger­ma­ny.

portrait

Biography

Wilhelm was the son of H. A. Hey, pas­tor at Lei­na. He mar­ried twice: to Aug­uste Grosch (1810) and Lui­se von Ax­en (1832).

He stu­died at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Je­na and Göt­ting­en.

From 1811–14, he worked as a pri­vate tu­tor in Ap­pel­tern in the Ne­ther­lands, then taught in a Go­tha board­ing school.

In 1818 he be­came pas­tor at Töt­tel­stadt, near Go­tha. In 1827, he be­came court preach­er at Go­tha, where his preach­ing at­tract­ed large au­di­enc­es.

In 1832, he was trans­ferred to Ich­ters­haus­en as pas­tor, su­per­in­ten­dent and dis­trict school in­spect­or.

Hey wrote his po­et­ry most­ly for child­ren.

Works

Sources

Lyrics

  1. Alle Jahre wied­er, kommt das Chris­tus Kind
  2. Aus dem Him­mel ferne
  3. Glöcklein klingt, Vög­lein singt
    • Bells Do Ring, Birds Do Sing
    • Bells They Ring, The Birds They Sing, The
    • Church Bells Ring
  4. Weißt du, wie viel Stern­lein steh­en
  5. Wenn auch vor dein­er Thür ein­mal
  6. Wenn je du wied­er zagst
  7. Wenn Je­sus liebt Der kann all­ein
    • The Love of Christ Makes Ev­er Glad
    • They Who Love Je­sus Alone Can Be Gay
    • Whom Christ Holds Dear
    • Whom Je­sus Loves

Help Needed

If you know Hey’s bu­ri­al place,