Kücken, Friedrich Wilhelm 11/16/1810 - 04/03/1882

Friedrich Wilhelm Kücken (1810-1882) was a German musician and composer of the Romantic period. He set numerous contemporary poems. His songs appeared translated into several languages and achieved international popularity, especially in the United States of America. Most well known today remains "Ach wie ist's möglich dann, dass ich dich lassen kann" ("How is it possible that I can leave you?") after a text by Helmina von Chézy. He also wrote numerous works for piano, choir and the stage. He was born in Bleckede, County Lüneburg, Germany, but after 1861 he lived in Schwerin, where a marble bust of him by Ludwig Brunow still stands before his former home.