Ulrich Bogislaus von Bonin (Poet)

Born: September 28, 1682 - Kartzin, near Köslin, (Ostpommern), Prussia
Died: January 9, 1752 - Ebersdorf, Germany

Ulrich Bogislaus Bonin was pietist song poet. He was the son of a chamber advice and an office captain.

When he was 10 years old, Bonin lost his mother, Magdalene Freiin von Putkammer, and in 1700 his father died. His relatives intended a military career for him against his will. He served in the Donhoff regiment and in 1704 became flag-bearer. He took part in four campaigns and learned during this time to pray. He became a decided Christian and strengthened his faith by reading books, which a pious student gave him to read, particularly August Hermann Francke's Bußpredigten and John Bunyan's Pilgerreise.

Despite the objection of his relatives Ulrich Bogislaus Bonin left the army in 1710 and went to Halle, where he dedicated himself to studies of the Greek and the Hebrew languages, because he wanted to study theology. He became acquainted with the Count Reuß zu Köstritz, who advised him not to continue his theological studies, and in the autumn of 1711 he became main court tutor at the house of Reuss Ebersdorf. He taught the young Count and his sisters Benigna Maria and Erdmuth Dorothea, who became in 1722 the wife of Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Bonin stayed with the Count, in 1715 joined him to the Halle University, and accompanied him in 1719 to a scholarly journey to Holland and France. After the Count became governor as Heinrich XXIX, Bonin arrived to his court and was employed as an advisor.

Of Ulrich Bogislaus Bonin's songs should be mentioned: Wie groß wird meine Freude sein, wenn ich dir treu geblieben, Du bist getauft, o Herrlichkeit! Gott hat dich aufgenommen and Richte, Gott, mir meinen Willen ja nach deinem Willen ein.

Works

Girrendes Täublein, d. i. gebundne Seufzerlein eines mit Gott verbundnen Herzens (1711) (144 Reimpaare, v. denen je 2 Paare zusammengehören, indem das 1. einen Seufzer z. Herrn u. das 2. die göttl. Antwort enthält)
Ges. Tröpflein aus dem Brünnlein Gottes, bestehend in gebundnen Seufzern auf alle Tage des Jahres (1717)
Theophili Pomerani gottgeheiligte Poesien, auch Freuden- und Trauergedichte (1727)
Körnlein Rauchwerkes z. Gebete der Hll. in gebundnen Seufzern (1734)

Source: BBKL Website (Author: Friedrich Wilhelm Bautz, 1990), English translation by Aryeh Oron (June 2006)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2006)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 442, BWV 455

Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Title

Year

EKG

Zahn

Beglückter Stand getreuer Seelen

1727

Erwürgtes Lamm, das die verwahrten Siegel

1735

3138

Links to other Sites

BONIN, Ulrich Bogislaus von (BBKL) [German]

Bibliography

Koch IV, 478 ff.; - ADB III, 130 f.; - DLL I, 769