Silberstein was educated at the
University of Vienna and supported the 1848 revolts in
Austria-Hungary with his articles in the
German satire periodical Leuchtkugeln. His articles were
banned in the middle of 1851 which forced Silberstein to leave his home. Impassioned by the country life, he wrote stories of life in villages idealizing the countryside and published popular collections of tales. He was thus called the "Austrian
Auerbach". His poems had influence in his lifetime, in particular upon the Austrian poet
Peter Rosegger, to whom he was to some extent a mentor. These poems were sometimes put to
music by
composers such as
Strauss (
Wenn du ein herzig Liebchen hast of 1879) or
Anton Bruckner (
Germanenzug of 1864,
Vaterlandslied of 1866, and
Helgoland of 1893). ==Works==