Wilhelm was born in
Schmalkalden. He studied at
Cassel under
Louis Spohr, and then in
Frankfurt am Main with
Aloys Schmitt and
A. André. From 1841 to 1864 he was the director of the
Krefeld Liedertafel for which he composed numerous male choruses. In Krefeld in 1854 he set to words “Die Wacht am Rhein,” the poem
Max Schneckenburger wrote in 1840. In recognition of the success and the national importance of this song, he received the title of “Royal Prussian Musical Director” in 1860, and four years later received a gold medal from
Queen (later Empress) Augusta. On 24 June 1871, he received a personal acknowledgement from
Chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck. In the same year, he received an annual gift from the government of 3,000
marks, which was then more than four times a typical salary. From 1865 on, Wilhelm worked as the director of the music society in Schmalkalden, where he died eight years later. ==References==