Grete Lienert, a prominent figure in Transylvanian-Saxon culture, was born into a family deeply involved in education and the arts. Her father served as a school principal and church choir leader, while her mother was a trained kindergarten teacher under Adele Zay. From an early age, Grete aspired to become a teacher herself. She attended public school in Sibiu, where Minka Bruckner was a highly respected educator, before advancing to the teacher-training college in Sighisoara. There, she was recognized as a popular and dedicated student with a passion for music and the folk poetry of Anna Schuller Schullerus. During her studies, she began experimenting with dialect poetry, encouraged by her seminar director, Dr. Heinz Brandsch.
After graduating in 1925, Grete's teaching career was cut short when she married notary Michael Lienert in 1926, as regional church regulations prohibited married teachers from continuing their work. This restriction was not lifted until 1937. Despite these challenges, Grete managed to contribute to her community through the Women's Association, delivering lectures and performances alongside notable figures like Anna Schuller Schullerus, Luise Help leg, and Gerda Miess-Lipponen.
Grete's work with children and youth often involved creating new songs, primarily in the Saxon dialect, drawing inspiration from the folk tales of Anna Schuller Schullerus. She penned and directed several plays, including "Äm your uch Gläck" (To Honor and Happiness), "Bäm Brännchen" (The Little Spring), "Farmer Liesel," and "hu Fosnicht mer" (Shrove We Have). These works are characterized by their elegant and rich folk poetry, reflecting simplicity and authenticity, as noted by H. Mieskes.
The nature of her husband’s civil service position led to frequent relocations, exposing Grete to new communities that supported her artistic endeavors. Collaborators such as Schuster Dutz and Hans Mild, with whom she co-created the award-winning song "Ta Drimer," along with Carl Reich Elder, Lena Kraus, Serious Irtel, and Christine Maly, played significant roles in her artistic journey. Following the lifting of the teaching ban in 1937, Grete resumed her career, amassing 26 years of teaching experience across various locations, including Netus and Neustadt, where she furthered her knowledge of Saxon folk songs. Among her well-known contributions are the folk-style songs "De asters blähn Insem äm garden" and "The Owend kit to chan," which are widely recognized and sung in both Germany and America. Her dramatic poem "The Burned Maid," which explores Saxon history, received an award for its artistic merit.
In the aftermath of World War II, the Lienert family faced hardships common to many of their compatriots. Grete's husband was deported to Russia, returning later as a patient, while the family endured expropriation and challenges in their children's education. During this difficult period, Grete founded a folk song-singing group that recorded an album featuring 14 of her songs. She also established an amateur theater group that toured Saxon villages, providing cultural enrichment and solace to rural communities.
In 1963, the family relocated to Sighisoara, where Grete became an active member of the local community, participating in the church choir and a literature circle. Her singing group eventually evolved into a chamber choir that remains active today.
In 1978, the Lienerts moved to West Germany, settling in Traunreut. Grete quickly became a hub of musical and dramatic activities, serving as a cultural consultant and assisting the country team in establishing a Transylvanian choir. Her songs continue to be performed by various Transylvanian choirs, particularly the esteemed "Samuel Madrigal Choir Cantores Brukenthal Cibiniensis." In Germany, she published two songbooks and audio recordings of her poetry.
Grete Lienert’s prolific and creative life came to an unexpected end on April 1, 1989.
