ON THE BASIS OF THE NEW ACCENTS he was able to give to the love lyrictradition, and the new foundation he provided for didactic poetry (the Sangsprüche, or gnomic poetry) with his verses on religious, social, and political topics, Walther von der Vogelweide was one of the most innovative and productive lyric poets of the German High Middle Ages. Walther's lyric poetry could be discussed in the chapters about the love lyrics and didactic and political poetry elsewhere in this volume, but the important role he played in shaping these lyrical genres and in establishing new thematic and formal relationships between them warrant a separate treatment of his literary career. A separate treatment is further justified because he also composed a religious lay, or Leich, thus demonstrating his mastery of three genres during a time when most poets concentrated on one, and because he was highly significant for later literary developments in the Middle Ages.

Details about Walther's life are, for the most part, as difficult to make out as those of other medieval poets. Questions begin with the name “von der Vogelweide,” which has brought forth a wide variety of interpretations: some scholars construe “Vogelweide” (literally: aviary) as a place-name, while others see in it a metaphorical expression of Walther's career as a singer.