Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Tanhäuser

TANHÄUSER, or Tannhäuser, the subject of one of the most famous of old German legends, is represented as a knight who after many wanderings comes to the Venusberg. He enters the cave where the Lady Venus holds her court, and abandons himself to a life of sensual pleasure. By and by he is overcome by remorse, and, invoking the aid of the Virgin Mary, he obtains permission to return for a while to the outer world. He then goes as a pilgrim to Rome, and entreats Pope Urban to secure for him the forgiveness of his sins. The pope, who happens to have a rod in his hand, says it is as impossible for him to be pardoned as for the rod to blossom. Tanhauser therefore departs in despair, and returns to the Lady Venus. In three days the rod begins to put forth green leaves, and the pope sends messengers in all directions in search of the penitent; but he is never seen again. This legend was at one time known in every part of Germany, and as late as 1830 it survived in a popular song at Entlibuch, a version of which was given by Uhland in his Alte hoch- and niederdeutsclze Volkslieder. It can be traced back to the 14th century, but in its original form seems to have belonged to the period of Teutonic paganism. According to some legends, the Venusberg is the Hoselberg or Hörselberg, a hill near Eisenach associated with the Teutonic goddess of the nether world, who was known by various names, such as Hulda, Hilda, and Hel. To this goddess the name of Venus appears to have been transferred. Among the attendants of Hulda was the faithful Eckhart, and in the preface to the Heldenbuch he is said to sit before the Venusberg, and to warn passers-by of the dangers to which they may be exposed if they linger in the neighbourhood. The legend has been reproduced by several modern German poets, and forms the subject of one of Wagner's operas.

In the 13th century, contemporary with Pope Urban IV., there was a German knight called Tanhäuser, who was well known as a minnesinger at the court of Frederick II., duke of Austria. After Duke Frederick's death Tanhäuser was received at the court of Otho II., duke of Bavaria; but, being of a restless disposition, and having wasted his fortune, he spent much time in wandering about Germany. He also went as a crusader to the Holy Land. His poems (printed in the second part of the Minnesinger, edited by Von der Hagen) are fresh, lively, and graceful, but lack the ideal tone which marks the writings of the earlier minnesinger. He was much esteemed by the meistersinger, and it is possible that the story of his adventurous life may have been connected with the old legend about the Venusberg.

See Kornmann, Mons Veneris (1614), and Grässe, Die Sage vom Ritter Tanhäuser, and Der Tanhäuser and Ewige Jude; also Zander, Die Tanhäuser Sage und der Minnesänger Tanhäuser.