Johann Samuel Diterich

Short Name: Johann Samuel Diterich
Full Name: Diterich, Johann Samuel, 1721-1797
Birth Year: 1721
Death Year: 1797

Diterich, Johann Samuel, eldest son of A. M. Diterich, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Berlin, was born at Berlin, Dec. 15, 1721. After studying at the Universities of Frankfurt a. Oder, and Halle, he was for some time a private tutor in Berlin. He was, in 1748, appointed diaconus of St. Mary's Church in Berlin, and regimental chaplain, becoming, in 1751, archidiaconus, and, in 1754, pastor of St. Mary's. In 1763 he was appointed private Chaplain to the Queen, and in 1770 a member of the Supreme Consistory. He died at Berlin, Jan. 14, 1797 (Koch, vi. 228-231; Allg. Deutsche Biog., v. 258-259). His hymns appeared in the following works:—

(1) Lieder für den offentlichen Gottesdienst Berlin, 1765, with 23G hymns, edited by himself and his col¬leagues in Stanzas Mary's Church. Designed as a supplement to Porst's Gesang-Buch of 1713. (2) Gesangbuch zum (foltesdienstlichen Gebrauch in den Königlich-Preus-sischen Landen, Berlin, 1780, with 447 hymns principally edited by himself. (3) Gesangbuch für die häusliche Andacht. Berlin, 1787, with 421 hymns, principally of recent date.
None of these books give names of authors. Diterich seems to have contributed about 100 hymns either original or entirely recast, besides rewriting portions of many others. He distinguished himself as a leader in the unhappy process of “modernising" and "improving" the older German hymns, by which they were reduced to 18th cent. "correctness," and had all the life polished out of them. His 1765 collection formed the model of many wretched hymn-books, and his influence is even seen in such recent collections as the Hamburg Gesang-Buch 1842, the Nassau Gesang-Buch, 1844, and the Gesang-Buch für die evang. Landeskirche im Grossherzogtum Sachsen, Weimar, 1883.

A number of the recasts from the older hymns which appear under Diterich's name are noted in this Dictionary under the names of their original authors. The following may be regarded as practically original:—
i. Schon ist der Tag von Gott bestimmt. [Second Advent.] 1765, as above, No. 129, in 8 stanzas of 7 lines. Included as No. 390 in the Nassau Gesang-Buch, 1844. The only translation in common use is:—
The trumpet sounds! the day is come! A full and good translation in Dr. H. Mills's Horae Germanica, 1845 (ed. 1856, p. 332). Dr. Hatfield included stanzas i., iv., vi., vii., altered, in his Church Hymn Book, 1872.
The following, although not in English common use, are available for hymnological purposes :—
ii. Auf Erden Wahrheit auszubreiten. Christ's Ministry. 1787, as above, No. 79, in 10 stanzas. Translated by Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (ed. 1856, p. 283), as "That men to truth might not be strangers."
iii. Auf! Jesu Jünger! freuet euch! Ascension. 1765, as above, No. 79, in 12 stanzas, and is based on E. Alber's hymn "Nun freut euch Gottes Kinder all" (q. v.). Two forms have been translated (1) “Auf, Christen, auf und freuet euch," in the Berlin Gesang-Buch, 1780, No. 114; tr. as "Rejoice, ye saints, your fears be gone," by Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (ed. 1856, p. 324); and (2) "Ihr Jünger Jesu, freuet euch," in the Trier Gesang-Buch. (R. C), 1846, p. 94. Tr. as "Rejoice, ye saints, in glad accord," by Dr. R. F. Littledale, in Lyra Messianica, 1864, p. 371.
iv. Herr, meiner Seele grossen Werth. Greatness of the Soul. 1765, as above, No. 195, in 9 stanzas. Translated by Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (ed. 1856, p. 30), as “Lord, on the soul's enduring worth."
v. Mein Heiland lebt. Er hat die Macht. Resurrection of the Dead. 1765, as above, No. 123, in 8 stanzas. Translated by Miss Manington, 1863,p. 75, "My Saviour lives, and He the might."
vi. O Jesu, wahrer Frömmigkeit. Jesus our Example. Seems to have been suggested by J. J. Rambach's "Du wesentliches Ebenbild " in his Haus Gesang-Buch, 1735, No. 84. First published 1789, as above, No. 59, in 8 stanzas. Translated by Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (ed. 1856, p. 285), as "Jesus, of what we should approve." [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by Johann Samuel Diterich (45)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, Dass er aus freiem TriebJ. S. Diterich (Author)German2
Auf, Christen, auf, und freuet euchJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German13
Auf, Christen! lasst uns unsern GottJ. S. Dietrich, geb. 1721 (Author)German1
Auf Erden Wahrheit auszubreitenJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German10
Auf, Jesu Jünger, freuet euch!Johann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German16
Bringt Preis und Ruhm dem Heiland darJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German7
Dank dir, Herr, für die ObrigkeitJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German3
Der Heiland kommt! Lobsinget IhmJoh. Sam. Diterich (Author)German12
Des Leibes warten und ihn nährenJohann Samuel Diterich (Author)German4
Dich, dich, mein Gott, will ich erhebenJ. S. Diterich (Author)German2
Du aller Menschen Vater, Du gütiger BeraterJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German4
Du, der kein Böses tutJ. S. Dietrich (Author)German3
Du, Gott, du bist der Herr der ZeitJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German9
Du Vater deiner Menschenkinder, der du die Liebe selber istJohann Samuel Diterich † 1797 (Arranger)German1
Du willst es, Herr, mein GottJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German4
Er kommt, er kommt zum WeltgerichtJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German4
Es ist noch eine Ruh' vorhanden für jeden Gott ergebnen GeistJ. S. Dietrich (Author)German3
Es ist vollbracht, so ruft am Kreuze, des sterbenden Erlösers MundJ. S. Dietrich, 1721-1791 (Author)German30
Fürwahr du bist o Gott verborgenJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German13
Gib mir, o Gott, ein HerzJohann Samuel Diterich (Alterer)German1
Gott, deine Gnad' ist unser LebenJoh. Sam. Diterich, 1721-1797 (Author)German1
Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum ChristJ. Dietrich (Author)German1
Herr, ich hab' von deiner Treu'Johann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German12
Herr, mache meine Seele stilleJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German6
Herr, meiner Seele großen WertJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German6
Höchster, denk ich an die GüteJohann Samuel Diterich (Author)German2
Kim jestem? Ważne to pytanieks. Johann Samuel Diterich, d. 1797 (Author)Polish2
Lass mich doch nicht, o Gott! den Schätzen dieser ErdenJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German10
Lob, Ehre, Preis und Dank sei DirJohann Samuel Diterich, 1721-1797 (Author)German2
Mein Erlöser, Gottes Sohn, der du für mich littestJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German4
Mein Geist, o Gott, wird ganz entzücktJ. Sam. Dietrich (Author)German19
Mein Heiland lebt, er hat die MachtJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German21
Nach meiner Seelen Seligkeit, lass, Herr, mich eifrig ringenJ. Dietrich (Author)German26
O Jesu Licht und Heil der WeltJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German12
O Jesu, wahrer FrömmigkeitJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German5
O Jesus, wir erheben DichJohann Samuel Diterich, 1721-1797 (Author)German2
O wie unaussprechlich seligJohann Samuel Diterich, 1721-1797 (Arranger)German1
Ohne Rast und unverweilt, Strömen gleich, o SeeleJohann Samuel Diterich (Author)German2
Preist Christen mit ZufriedenheitJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German27
Schon ist der Tag von Gott bestimmtJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German9
The trumpet sounds the day is comeJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)English1
Voller Ehrfurcht, Dank und FreudenJohann Samuel Diterich, 1721-1797 (Author (v. 1))German1
Wer bin ich, Welche große [wichtige] FrageJ. S.Dieterich, 1721-1797 (Author)German18
Wer kann, Gott, je was Gutes habenJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German5
Zu Deinem Preis und Ruhm erwachtJohann Samuel Dietrich (Author)German18

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