Ich bin der Doktor Eisenbart


Ich bin der Doktor Eisenbart, also called Eisenbart-Lied, is a folk, student and drinking song written around 1800. It deals with the treatment methods of Johann Andreas Eisenbarth, who is depicted in the song as a Kurpfuscher. There are numerous variations, of which the earliest dateable publication of 1814 comes from the commercial book of the student association Germania from Göttingen. The first publication with melody appeared in 1840. In the 20th century the student song was transformed into a youth and children's song, the melody of which finally also formed the basis for the equally popular "Ein Mann, der sich Kolumbus nannt".

Creation

Probably the joke song "Ich bin der Doktor Eisenbart" was written around 1800 by Göttingen students. A popular destination for them was Hann. Münden, where Johann Andreas Eisenbarth died in 1727 and a tomb was erected for him.
The song begins with the verseand has countless other verses that have been added to the original twelve over time.

Dissemination

This song, in turn, inspired various authors to write novels to this day, plays, operas and Nico Dostal's operetta Doktor Eisenbart. The school opera Der Arzt auf dem Marktplatz by Hanna and Siegfried Stolte, written in the 1950s in the GDR, was also based on motifs from the life of Doctor Eisenbarth.

Dutch-language variation

A Dutch-language variation of the song exists too, Ik Ben Doktor Grijzenbaard, removing all references to the real Eisenbart by calling him grijzenbaard. In 1978 the Flemish comedy band De Strangers recorded a parody song of Ik Ben Doktor Grijzenbaard, titled Ik Ben Vader Grijzenbaard, which satirized the popularity of Vader Abraham's The Smurf Song, as well as The Muppets.

Literature