Lorenz Leopold Haschka

Lorenz Leopold Haschka (1749–1827) was an Austrian poet born in Vienna, where he also died. He joined the Jesuits young, but after the order's 1773 suppression turned to secular poetry and, under Josephinism, became a freemason. After Joseph II's death he returned to Catholicism.

In 1797 he was chosen to write the words of the patriotic anthem Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, set to music by Joseph Haydn and first sung on 12 February for Francis II's birthday. He later taught aesthetics at Vienna's Theresianum and worked at its university library, retiring in 1824.