Gaudeamus!

work by Scheffel

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June 29, 2026

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Gaudeamus! is a collection of student songs published in 1868 by the German poet and novelist Joseph Victor von Scheffel. Scheffel was a popular author known for his humorous and sentimental works that often romanticized Germany's past. While his historical novel Ekkehard and epic poem Der Trompeter von Säckingen were widely read, Gaudeamus! contributed to his reputation for appealing to popular taste. The title itself, "Gaudeamus igitur," is a Latin phrase meaning "therefore let us rejoice". Although Scheffel's writings were immensely popular in his time, they later fell out of favor with critics who found them overly sentimental.12

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Joseph Victor von Scheffel
…a book of verse; and Gaudeamus! (1868), a collection of student songs. Scheffel’s writings eventually fell out of favour with the critics, who viewed them as cloying and trivial.
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…a book of verse; and Gaudeamus! (1868), a collection of student songs. Scheffel’s writings eventually fell out of favour with the critics, who viewed them as cloying and trivial.
Read More