Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Lohengrin

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LOHENGRIN (lō'en-grin), the hero of an old High German poem, written in the end of the 13th century. He was the son of Parzival, and a knight of the Grail. At King Arthur's command he was taken by a swan through the air to Mainz, where he fought for Elsa, daughter of the Duke of Brabant, overthrew her persecutor, and married the lady. Then he accompanied the emperor to fight against the Hungarians, and subsequently warred against the Saracens. On his return home to Cologne, Elsa, contrary to his prohibition, persisted in asking him about his origin. After being asked a third time he told her, but was at the same time carried away by the swan back to the Grail. Rückert's edition (1857) of the poem is the best. The poem is a continuation of Wolfram von Eschenbach's “Parzival.” Wagner made it the subject of his great opera, “Lohengrin” (1848).