Friedrich Justin Bertuch
Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch ( born September 30, 1747 in Weimar, † April 3, 1822 in Weimar) was a German publisher and philanthropist.
Life
Bertuch came from a family that has been proven since the 15th century in Thuringia in the room ( bathroom) Tennstedt was closely associated resident and with the scientific and intellectual environment and among other things, the director of the Prince's School Schulpforta at Naumburg Justin Bertuch had listened.
As Bertuch was five years old, his father Justin, the garrison doctor died in the service of Duke Ernst August Konstantin (1737-1758) was to hemorrhage. His mother he lost 15 years old. First, penniless, he grew up in the house of his uncle, the Weimar Council of the landscape Checkout Gottfried Matthias Ludwig Schrön on. He attended the Weimar Wilhelm -Ernst -Gymnasium and studied 1765-1769 at the State University in Jena only theology, then law. However, his main interest was in literature and natural history.
The acquaintance with the Baron Ludwig Heinrich Bachoff real let the 22 -year-old drop out of college in 1769 without examination. Bertuch began in the same year on the manor Dobitschen at Altenburg as Hoflehrer the sons of Bachoff right to send and had the position until 1773. He learned of his hand by his employer, the ambassador in Spain, was the Spanish language, Don Quixote, translated into German and moved this plant in 1774 itself success promised his translations of English and French literature.
Returned for health reasons in 1773 to Weimar, Bertuch used as a freelance writer contacts Hofkapellmeister Ernst Wilhelm Wolf and his wife, the daughter of the famous concert master Franz Benda, as well as acting couple Friederike and Abel Seyler, the actor Konrad Ekhof and the school teacher and fairy tale collector Johann Karl August Musaeus. His livelihood he deserved to 1796 as manager of the Duke's private finances.
Bertuch could 1782-1786 collaborate on Teutschen Mercury. Its publisher Wieland, educators of the sons of the Duchess Anna Amalia Weimar, gave him access to the court of Weimar. Bertuch translation given by the Duchess at Houdar Antoine de la Motte in order tragedy Ines de Castro from the French met with acclaim.
1774 ranged Bertuch together with the friend, the painter Georg Melchior Kraus in Weimar the memorandum " draft with few resources here to be erected free drawing school " field. This initiative was founded in 1776 by Duke Karl August in the premises of the Red castle called Princely characters Weimar Academy, which was established by Bertuch ideas and later led by Johann Heinrich Meyer and from 1788 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Bertuch goal was to all interested parties, regardless of their social status, the opportunity to offer to improve their artistic craftsmanship and train their talents.
Bertuch Secret secretary to the Duke in 1775 and should remain in various capacities until 1787 in the civil service. 1776, he was inducted into the Masonic Lodge Amalia Weimar to the three roses.
His geschäftlichem activity was varied. He took in 1777 the great " tree garden " today " Weimarhallenpark ", leasehold and designed around him; the Schwanseeteich in the public garden of his estate has become a popular ice-skating rink. In 1782 he founded a factory for artificial flowers; with the arts and crafts fashion items he had success in Germany. In 1785 he founded the Allgemeine Literatur -Zeitung, which should appear later as New Jena'sche General Literary Gazette.
From 1778 Bertuch could lay his works even after he had a grinding mill to a paper - mill and colors can be rebuilt - another example of his foresight and his business skills. In 1780 he was at the Weimar Baumgarten build his house in which the factory for artificial flowers found their place and was busy with other Goethe's future wife Christiane Vulpius.
The Journal of luxury and fashion, the Bertuch published since 1786, praised not only artificial flowers, but also technical innovations on, contained reading material for entertainment and instruction, and is considered the first magazine in Europe. For the plan of a country - industry - Comptoirs, which promote the country's industry, to train skilled workers and should increase prosperity, Bertuch received in 1791, the princely privilege. He employed temporarily 400 to 500 people, representing about ten percent of the Weimar population. He succeeded so to unite printer, cartographers and artists under one roof. The pay was above average. In 1792 he was elected a member of the Scholars Academy Leopoldina.
1793 defined Bertuch even this kind of company in a magazine publicly as " an infallible means to revive the German industry and disseminate food and prosperity among us." Here enlightened thought that was practically applied to the market economy showed:
" I understand the country - industry - institute a non-profit public or private institution that makes sichs for single purposes, some seek out the natural riches of their province and to promote their culture, partly to revive the art industriousness of its inhabitants, to guide and to perfect. Best and for the country at all like most benevolent enterprises by commercial Societäten or so-called equity companies or if its object is not so great, made only by an active and skillful private man. "
Bertuch gained national and European efficiency over the required " local utility and effectiveness of local " addition. At the Comptoir included in the course of time, the earlier built paper and paint mill, printing press, a cartographic department (since 1804 as the " Geography " self-employed ) and much more. From 1796 Bertuch was also a commercial director of the company Chalkographischen to Dessau.
Such production tools for a " literary and artistic industry" in the back, Bertuch described himself as a " literary midwife ." He supported the first edition of Goethe Goschen financially and drove with the general literature newspaper from 1785 regarding the development of the number of subscribers and its annual revenue, a considerable success.
In cooperation with the Thuringian minister and fruit watchers JV Sickler Bertuch created 1794-1820 a fruit cabinet as highly scientific and realistic model collection of core, stone and shell fruits. After Bertuch death the collection was not continued. He was succeeded at the Thuringian Horticulture Club. The Museum of Nature in Gotha has 179 wax fruit of Bertuch & Sickler.
Between 1790 and 1830 appeared with Bertuch zwölfbändigem picture book for children teaching work, which in monthly expenses, " the knowledge of the period before the child [ spread ] " and was illustrated with 1185 panels and 6000 stitches.
Culture was also by translations and medical publications here in a very broad and modern sense of a wide made public and communicated. With the coexistence of and the tension between the ideal and the real, the full range and variety Weimaranischer culture around 1800 was clearly that of Goethe's classical processing of ancient Iphigenia substance up to the graphical and linguistic sketch of a " newly invented English patent machine " handed.
The war events of 1806 but tore Bertuch companies in a crisis. It was then on the mercy of the political situation. From 1814 Bertuch acted as publisher of political newspapers and journals, including Nemesis and the opposition paper.
His last years were spent Bertuch withdrawn. He died on 3 April 1822 and was buried at the southwestern end of his former Baumgarten in the tree- yew Bertuch family grave. The grave speech, has worked at the Goethe, held the Chancellor of the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, Friedrich von Müller. It stated:
" A long, deeds and seegensreiches life is closed, a solid, strong will, which up in all directions of human activity, from his earliest youth to latest age, non-profit purposes pursued restless and happy, has ceased to act for our circles. [ ... ] To the tender loving father cry deeply inflected children and grandchildren, to the warm, honest friend, the ally of his mind and heart: the tireless citizen is suing the city, the country, our noble prince house is suing the faithful, most sincerely affectionate servant! [ ... ] Inaugurated our Maurer league From an early time ago, he has his purely human purposes with peculiar vividness detected and tracked tirelessly with every personal sacrifice. [ ... ] To him we owe the revival of our Lodge Amalia, and countless hours of pure intellectual enjoyment. Deeply moved, we speak out here on the open grave, where each silent flattery: He was one of the most beautiful ornaments, one of the most loyal supports our covenant. "
The writer and journalist Karl Bertuch was his son.
Works
- Polyxena (1775 )
- Picture book for children containing a pleasant collection of animals, plants, flowers, fruits, minerals, costumes and all sorts of other teaching objects from the realm of nature, the arts and sciences; all voted for the best originals, engraved, and with a short scientific and the mind - forces of a child reasonable explanation accompanied by FJ Bertuch. 12 volumes. Publisher of industry - Comptoirs, Weimar 1792-1830 ( online [ UB Heidelberg ] ).
School designation to honor Bertuch
Today, the building of the former Sophie Gymnasium in Weimar home to Bertuch remembrance and honor the "State Vocational School Business / Management and Nutrition" Friedrich Justin Bertuch " Weimar ".