H. L. Fischer

Who was H. L. Fischer?

H. L. Fischer was a Pennsylvania German language writer and translator. He was born in what was called the Dutch Settlement in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA in 1822, and died in 1909. He worked as a teacher and lawyer, and in later years during a siege of illness, wrote a lot of Pennsylvania German language poetry, including the translation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven", which was published in pamphlet form at his Mapleshade home at York, 1891-07-07.

A few lines from "Der Krab", his translation of "The Raven":

Es war mitternacht un' schaurig,

Ich war schlaf'rig, mud, un traurig

Uewer fiel so alte Bucher

Foll so ganz fergess'ne ne Lehr;

Un' ich hab so halwer g'schlummert -

Hot 's uf e'mol so gebummert -

So wie 's macht wan 's bissel dunnert

- Das es rappelt an der Dheer;

" 'S isch en B'sucher," sag ich zu mer

Selwert, - "Klopt an meiner Dheer -

Des, allee, isch 's was ich hor."