Johan Nicolai Madvig

Johan Nicolai Madvig [ johæn neɡolaɪ̯ ˀ ˀ girls ʋi ː ˀ ] ( born August 7, 1804 in Svaneke, Bornholm; † 12 December 1886 in Copenhagen) was a Danish classical philologist and politician.

Life and career

Madvig studied at the University of Copenhagen, including at F. C. Sibbern and F. C. Petersen. Since 1826, he was a substitute, lecturer. He was already considered now as a great exceptional talent. Immediately after receiving his doctorate in classical philology in 1828 he received a copy editing. From 1829 to 1879 he was a professor. Madvig developed into a classical language scholars of European stature, especially in the field of textual criticism. An excellent knowledge of the Latin and Greek language, in particular the works of Cicero and Livy, he was considered by many contemporaries as the epitome of the scholar: Søren Kierkegaard in polemics, there are multiple references to Madvig. Between 1855 and 1879, he was five times elected Rector of the University of Copenhagen. From 1867 until his death in 1886 was Madvig President of the Danish Academy of Sciences.

With 24 years Madvig married a few years older than Elizabeth Bjerring; the couple had six children. His grave is located at the Copenhagen assistance cemetery.

Politician

Madvig struck a political career. He stood first in opposition to the absolutist system and sympathized with the ideas of the July Revolution of 1830. During the 1830s and 40s he was a moderate nationalist liberal. Johan Ludvig Heiberg As he made his mark as an internal critic of the liberal movement. In 1848 he was elected in bornholmischen constituency Aakirkeby the Folketing. From 1848 to 1851 he was the Danish Minister of Culture from 1852 to 1853 and President of the Second Chamber of Parliament. His science-based views on the relationship between language and nation made ​​him advocate in the German -Danish conflict of nationalities to share the Duchy of Schleswig regardless of historical affiliations along the language border. He stood quite isolated among his Danish contemporaries.

Educational reformer

Concept of education

Madvig was representative of a moderate humanism: The canon classic neuhumanistischer education should be broadened his view, modern languages ​​and science. The classical general knowledge possessed for him a higher status than a purely professional training. With regard to their objectives was Madvig the German Neuhumanisten very close ( cf. Herder, Niethammer, Humboldt and Herbart ). He also expected from the complete and free development of the individual's overall promotion of humanity.

However Madvig developed his own ideas about is in what way this formation to reach. The educational process, which he describes as " participation in the life ," must always start from the personal requirements and interests of the individual. A consciousness of the individual for the greater order, which it is part, could only due to a positive knowledge of this Regulation and its elements arise: nation, humanity, nature, ultimately the divine nature.

School Regulations 1850

1848 Madvig was first inspector of schools and led the supervision of the Danish schools of learning. This retained the responsibility for the exams, while a sample check should ensure the quality and comparability of financial statements. The school inspector also decided on appointments and dismissals. Apart from its beginning shortly thereafter tenure as Minister of Culture until 1879 remained Madvig inspector of the higher education system.

The Danish Education Act of 1850 was the clear handwriting Madvig. The church- oriented grammar school was under him a place higher civic education and means of educating the middle class. Mother-tongue teaching took at the expense of Latin and Greek more space, and German as a foreign language moved into the curriculum. The total number of teaching hours was significantly higher than, for example, in Prussia. This overloading tried the Education Act of CC Hall to end 1871 by divided the schools into a linguistic- historical and a mathematical-scientific branch. Madvig agreed with this second reform as a deputy without enthusiasm. He had fought to the last work to preserve a unified human High School. At this time, Prussia was no longer modeled on the Danish school reformer Madvig; his emphasis on personal investments and interests he saw realized, especially in the English education system.

Awards

Works

• Opuscula Academica, Volumes 1 and 2, 1834/42
• Cicero. De FINIBUS bonorum Et Malorum, 1839
• Latin grammar for schools, in 1841, German in 1844
• Greek syntax, in 1846, German in 1847
• Livy (Volume 1-4, along with JL Ussing ), 1861/66
• Adversaria critica ad Scriptores Graecos et Latinos, Volume 1-3, 1871/84
• Small philological writings, Leipzig 1875 (reprint 1966)
• The constitution and administration of the Roman Empire, Volume 1 and 2, 1881/82, simultaneously in German and Danish

In addition, posthumously published his memoirs: Livserindringer, edited by NA Madvig, two volumes, 1887 and 1917.