Ernst Anschtz (28 October 1780 18 December 1861) was a German teacher, organist, poet, and composer. He is also known for his account of the death of Johann Christian Woyzecks in 1824. Anschtz worked as a teacher in Leipzig for 50 years, during which he did most of his poetry and composing. "O Tannenbaum", or, in its English version, "O Christmas Tree", is a Christmas carol of German origin.
A Tannenbaum is a fir tree (German die Tanne) or Christmas tree (der Weihnachtsbaum). Its evergreen qualities have long inspired musicians to write several "Tannenbaum" songs in German.
The best known version was written in 1824 by a Leipzig organist and teacher named Ernst Anschtz. The melody is an old folk tune. The first known "Tannenbaum" song lyrics date back to 1550. A similar 1615 song by Melchior Franck (15731639) begins:
Ach Tannenbaum, ach Tannenbaum, du bist ein edler Zweig! Du grnest uns den Winter, die liebe Sommerzeit.
During the Third Reich "O Tannenbaum" was promoted by the Nazis as part of their program to remove the more Christian parts of the Holiday Season.Ernst Anschtz (28 October 1780 18 December 1861) was a German teacher,.