Georg Büchmann

Geflügelte Worte: Der Citatenschatz des deutschen Volkes

"Geflügelte Worte: Der Citatenschatz des deutschen Volkes" by Georg Büchmann is a quotation collection first published in 1864. This landmark work transformed how Germans understood popular sayings by tracing familiar phrases to their literary origins. Büchmann gathered quotations from the Bible, ancient Greek and Roman texts, and European literature, providing exact sources and meanings for each entry. The collection became a cultural phenomenon, establishing the term "geflügelte Worte" (winged words) for quotations that entered everyday speech. Updated through numerous editions, it remains a fascinating treasury of linguistic heritage.