Derived from the Germanic elements
sigu "victory" and
frid "peace". Siegfried was a hero from Germanic legend, chief character in the 'Nibelungenlied'. He secretly helped the Burgundian king
Günther overcome the challenges set out by the Icelandic queen
Brünhild so that Günther might win her hand. In exchange, Günther consented to the marriage of Siegfried and his sister
Kriemhild. Years later, after a dispute between Brünhild and Kriemhild, Siegfried was murdered by
Hagen with Günther's consent. He was stabbed in his one vulnerable spot on the small of his back, which had been covered by a leaf while he bathed in dragon's blood. His adventures were largely based on those of the Norse hero
Sigurd. The story was later adapted by Richard Wagner to form part of his opera 'The Ring of the Nibelung' (1876).