Siegfried (known as Sigurd in Norse tradition) is the legendary dragon-slaying hero of Germanic mythology, most fully preserved in the medieval German epic the Nibelungenlied and in the Norse Völsunga saga and the Poetic Edda. He is best known for slaying the dragon Fafnir, winning a hoard of gold, and being betrayed and murdered by his kinsman Hagen, a story that also underpins Wagner’s Ring cycle.
Who Is Siegfried? The Two Traditions
Siegfried appears in two distinct but related traditions. In the German Nibelungenlied (c. 1200), he is a prince of Xanten, son of King Siegmund and Queen Sieglind, who wins the hand of the Burgundian princess Kriemhild by helping her brother King Gunther defeat the warrior-queen Brünhild. In the Norse sources—the Poetic Edda (13th century, but based on older poems) and the Völsunga saga (13th century)—he is called Sigurd, son of Sigmund and Hjordis, and his story is more mythological, involving the god Odin’s intervention and a deeper tragedy.
The differences matter. In the German version, Siegfried is a courtly hero whose death is driven by courtly intrigue and a quarrel between queens. In the Norse version, Sigurd’s fate is bound up with a curse on the gold he takes from the dragon, and his death is orchestrated by the warrior Brynhild, whom he betrays. Both traditions share the core elements: the dragon, the invulnerable skin, the treasure, and a treacherous murder.
The Dragon-Slaying and the Curse of the Gold
Siegfried’s most famous deed is killing the dragon Fafnir. In the Norse version, Fafnir was originally a dwarf who killed his father to take a hoard of gold, then turned into a dragon to guard it. Sigurd digs a pit, hides in it, and stabs the dragon from below as it crawls over him. After tasting the dragon’s blood, he can understand the speech of birds, who warn him that the dwarf Regin (his foster-father) plans to kill him. Sigurd then kills Regin and takes the gold, but the dwarf Andvari’s ring, which is part of the hoard, carries a curse: it will bring death to its possessor.
In the German Nibelungenlied, the dragon is unnamed and Siegfried kills it as a young man, then bathes in its blood to become invulnerable—except for a spot on his back where a linden leaf fell. This detail becomes crucial later, as it is the only place he can be wounded.
The gold itself is not just treasure; it is the source of the tragedy. The curse ensures that every major character who gains the gold dies. This theme of a cursed treasure is central to both the Norse and German versions, and it is what elevates Siegfried’s story from a simple hero tale to a tragedy of fate.
Invulnerability and the One Weak Spot
The motif of invulnerability is one of the most famous aspects of Siegfried’s legend. In the Nibelungenlied, after slaying the dragon, Siegfried bathes in its blood, which hardens his skin like horn. However, a linden leaf falls between his shoulder blades, leaving a small patch of unprotected skin. This is the spot where Hagen later strikes him.
In the Norse version, Sigurd is not made invulnerable by dragon blood. Instead, he eats the dragon’s heart, which gives him wisdom and the ability to understand birds. He also gains the sword Gram, which he uses to kill the dragon. The concept of a single weak spot is unique to the German tradition, and it is a classic example of a hero’s fatal flaw—a detail that seems minor but becomes the instrument of his death.
This motif has parallels in other mythologies, such as Achilles’ heel in Greek myth, but in Siegfried’s case, the weak spot is not a physical weakness but a chance occurrence. It underscores the idea that even the greatest hero is vulnerable to fate and treachery.
The Betrayal and Death of Siegfried
Siegfried’s death is the climax of his story. In the Nibelungenlied, the hero is murdered by Hagen, a vassal of King Gunther, during a hunting trip. The immediate cause is a quarrel between Kriemhild and Brünhild over who has the higher-ranking husband. Kriemhild reveals that Siegfried had helped Gunther defeat Brünhild in a contest, which humiliates the queen. To avenge this insult, Hagen kills Siegfried, but he first tricks Kriemhild into revealing the location of the vulnerable spot on Siegfried’s back, sewing a small cross onto his tunic as a marker.
In the Norse version, Sigurd’s death is more complex. He marries Gudrun, the sister of Gunnar (the equivalent of Gunther), after helping Gunnar win Brynhild for himself by disguising himself as Gunnar. Brynhild, who had been betrothed to Sigurd, feels betrayed and incites Gunnar to kill him. The murder is carried out by Gunnar’s brother, Gutthorm, who stabs Sigurd in his sleep. Sigurd’s death is followed by Brynhild’s suicide, and the story continues with Gudrun’s revenge, which is not part of the German epic.
Both versions agree that Siegfried is killed by someone close to him, and that his death is a result of deceit and betrayal. The tragedy is that he is not defeated in battle but by treachery, which makes his story all the more poignant.
Siegfried in Wagner’s Ring Cycle
Richard Wagner’s four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (premiered in 1876) is the most famous modern retelling of the Siegfried legend. Wagner combined elements from the Norse and German sources, creating a composite character. His Siegfried is a fearless, naive young man who knows no fear, reforges the broken sword Nothung, slays the dragon Fafner, and learns to understand the woodbird. He then awakens Brünnhilde from a magic fire and falls in love with her.
Wagner’s version changes the ending: Siegfried is killed by Hagen, but the curse of the gold is ultimately lifted when Brünnhilde rides into the flames, returning the gold to the Rhine. This is a major departure from the medieval sources, where the curse continues to bring ruin. Wagner’s ending is more redemptive, but the core elements—the dragon, the invulnerability (though Wagner omits the linden leaf), and the betrayal—remain.
Wagner’s influence has been so strong that many people think of Siegfried as a purely Norse hero, but his version is a 19th-century reinterpretation, not the original myth. The medieval sources are more ambiguous and darker.
Historical and Cultural Context
The origins of the Siegfried legend are debated. Some scholars suggest that it may be based on a real historical figure, possibly a Frankish or Burgundian king from the 5th or 6th century, such as Sigibert I of Austrasia, who was murdered at the instigation of his wife’s rival. The Burgundian kingdom was destroyed by the Huns in 437, which may be reflected in the downfall of the Burgundians in the Nibelungenlied. However, there is no direct evidence linking Siegfried to a specific historical person.
The story was passed down orally for centuries before being written down. The Nibelungenlied was composed around 1200 by an unknown author, likely in the region of Passau. The Norse versions are slightly later, but they preserve older poetic traditions. The legend was also popular in Scandinavia, where Sigurd’s story appears on runestones and carvings, such as the Ramsund carving in Sweden, which depicts the dragon-slaying scene.
The legend’s endurance lies in its universal themes: the hero’s rise and fall, the corrupting power of treasure, and the inevitability of fate. It has inspired countless works of art, literature, and music, and it remains a cornerstone of Germanic mythology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Siegfried the same as Sigurd?
Yes, Siegfried and Sigurd are the same hero in different traditions. Siegfried is the German name, and Sigurd is the Norse name. The stories are similar but not identical; the German version focuses more on courtly intrigue, while the Norse version is more mythological and includes elements like the curse of the gold and the intervention of Odin.
How did Siegfried become invulnerable?
In the German Nibelungenlied, Siegfried bathes in the blood of the dragon he killed, which makes his skin as hard as horn. However, a linden leaf falls on his back, leaving a small vulnerable spot. In the Norse version, he does not become invulnerable; instead, he eats the dragon’s heart, which gives him wisdom and the ability to understand birds.
Who killed Siegfried?
In the Nibelungenlied, Siegfried is killed by Hagen, a vassal of King Gunther, who strikes him on the vulnerable spot on his back during a hunting trip. In the Norse version, Sigurd is killed by Gutthorm, the brother of Gunnar, who stabs him in his sleep at the instigation of Brynhild.
Why did Hagen kill Siegfried?
Hagen killed Siegfried to avenge the honor of Queen Brünhild, who had been humiliated by Kriemhild’s revelation that Siegfried had helped Gunther win her. Hagen also wanted to secure the treasure of the Nibelungs for the Burgundians, as he believed Siegfried was a threat to their power.
What is the curse on the gold in the Siegfried legend?
The gold in the legend is cursed by the dwarf Andvari, who was forced to give it up. The curse brings death and misfortune to anyone who possesses it. Siegfried takes the gold after killing the dragon, and the curse ultimately leads to his death and the destruction of the Burgundians.
Does Siegfried appear in Norse mythology?
Siegfried appears in Norse mythology as Sigurd, but he is not a god; he is a mortal hero. His story is told in the Poetic Edda and the Völsunga saga, and he is a central figure in the Völsung family saga, which includes his father Sigmund and his daughter Svanhild.
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