Greef, Wilhelm 12/18/1809 - 09/12/1875

Wilhelm Greef (born 18.10.1809 in Kettwig a.d. Ruhr, died 12.09.1875 in Moers, where a fountain was erected in his honor), was a teacher, composer, organist and voice teacher. There is only scanty information about his education and life. He founded the Moers Singing Society in 1851. During this time he composed the well-known political song "Wacht am Rhein" for Kaiser Wilhelm. Wilhelm Greef was buried at the Moers cemetery on Rheinberger Straße.

Greef's estate includes his own compositions of organ works, monophonic and polyphonic songs for schools and choirs, as well as (choral) song collections by well-known and unknown composers of several eras, some of which he edited in collaboration with Ludwig Erk (1807-1883). In particular, his collection "Geistliche Männerchöre, alte und neue, für Freunde des ernsten Männergesanges" (1868) should be mentioned here. Greef was also the author and editor of several fatherland songs, as well as songbooks such as "Singvögelein," "Liederkranz" and "Sängerhain.