Friederike Brion

Brion, Friederike (Niederrödern, Alsace, 1752-1813, Meißenheim nr. Lahr), daughter of the pastor in the Alsatian village of Sesenheim c. 30 miles north of Strasburg. Goethe met her in October 1770 and fell in love with her. Some of his freshest and most enchanting love poetry was written during the ten months that the love-affair lasted (see Willkommen und Abschied, Mit einem gemalten Band, Mailied). Goethe broke off the relationship on his return to Frankfurt in August 1771. He gives an account of the love-affair in Dichtung und Wahrheit, Bks. 10 and 11. It is also the subject of the operetta Friederike by F. Lehár (1870-1948). Goethe visited Friederike again while on his way to Switzerland in 1777. Though J. M. R. Lenz courted her in 1772, she remained unmarried.