Eduard Norden

Eduard Norden ( born September 21, 1868 in Emden, † July 13, 1941 in Zurich ) was a German classical philologist and historian of religion.

Education and early career

Eduard Norden came from an assimilated Jewish family. His father Carl Joseph North (1836-1903) was a respected physician.

Shortly before graduating from high school, he converted to Protestantism and then studied from 1886 to 1890 Classical Philology. He spent two semesters in Berlin, where he heard of Hermann Diels, Theodor Mommsen, Carl Robert and Eduard Zeller. He then moved to the University of Bonn. Here he formed his teacher Hermann Usener and especially the Latinist Franz Bücheler. He received his doctorate in 1891 at Bücheler and then was immediately assistant Georg Kaibels in Strasbourg. Just one year after graduation was there the Habilitation contributions to the history of Greek philosophy.

His career progressed remarkably quickly, and in 1893 he was appointed associate professor in Greifswald, in 1895 appointed professor ibid.

In his 1898 published book, Ancient literary prose north showed a special interest in rhetoric, in rhetorical stylistic devices and the use of rhetorical elements in the prose of Greek and Latin authors. In 1899 he was called to Breslau as a colleague of Franz Skutsch. There he began to study intensively with the " Aeneid " of Virgil. 1903 resulted in the a highly regarded commentary on the sixth book of this work, which demonstrates the North interested in the science of religion in a special way.

Berlin years

By 1906 the north on his only Greece Stay - unlike a Ulrich von Wilamowitz- Moellendorff was north of the opinion that the personal knowledge of the topography of Greece was not needed - after the appointment as successor to Adolf Kirchhoff to Berlin, where until his retirement in in 1935 taught. In addition to the Altphilologischen Chair (one of three of the University ) was also immediately north head of the Institute of Archaeology. North appointment was not without controversy and accompanied by some personal animosities from circles of colleagues shaft. Wilamowitz- Moellendorff example, favored initially Friedrich Leo. After this had canceled, sat the Secretary Friedrich Althoff, who was responsible for the appointment of professors, north against the also brings into the discussion Georg Wissowa by. Despite Wilamowitz- Moellendorff initial refusal, a fruitful dialogue with this and other important Berlin colleagues as Hermann Diels and Eduard Meyer began.

In 1912 the Prussian Academy of Sciences of the north to the proposal Wilamowitz- Moellendorff in succession of the late John Vahlen as a full member on. In the academy, he was responsible for the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae. As successor to Wilamowitz- Moellendorff moved up north in the Central Directorate of the German Archaeological Institute. 1913 joined the North his two great interests - Rhetoric and Religion - the book Agnostos Theos. Here he was not only limited to a Greek and Latin form history of religious speeches, but was also associated with the Jewish, Early Christian, Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern world with. At the beginning of the 1920s he tried to participate in the reorganization of the Berlin classics and wanted 1921 probably prevent the appointment of Werner Jaeger as Wilamowitz- Moellendorff successor. There was hardly any suitable young Hellenist - and to its own field of study to strengthen Latin Studies - he favored as a successor to the Hellenist Diels a Latinist. 1928 North could celebrate his 60th birthday in the office of the rector of Berlin University.

Life in the time of National Socialism

With the seizure of power by the National Socialists, the position deteriorated further north. This North was himself a follower of Hitler. So at least he commented in a letter to his student Erich Koestermann: "It looks pretty dismal. The feeling, as it were, to be second-class citizens, is bitter [ ... ] But what is located at the individual, if only the nation as a whole is strengthened [ ... ] the tax man I love Hitler, in spite of everything, as you ". 122 In May, his assistant Friedrich Solmsen and Richard Walzer were replaced by non-Jews. Even on August 27, 1934 made ​​the north allegiance. Nevertheless, he was due to the Nazi racial laws gradually from all bodies to which he belonged, removed. Among other things, he was excluded from the 1934 Board of the German Archaeological Institute. Since generally the Emeritierungsalter was reduced from 68 to the 65th anniversary in winter 1934/35 due to a new Emeritierungsgesetzes, but in 1933 the North had reached the age of 65, he was professor emeritus in February 1935. His successor at the Berlin chair was a friend of ours Latinist Johannes Stroux, who took up the teaching for the summer of 1936. 124 In the " Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor " signed certificate of release was north "for the successful academic effectiveness and the kingdom rendered faithful service " " recognition "and" special thanks " pronounced. northern authorization to teach at the University 126 However, in December 1935, due to the Nuremberg Laws deprived. 127 mid-October 1938, he was forced to leave the Prussian Academy of Sciences. At the end he resigned from the Academy of Sciences in Vienna, whose corresponding member he had been.

After the " Night of Broken Glass " saw no future for the north in Germany. To comply with the " Regulation on an expiation of the Jews of German citizenship", according to which Jews 20 % of their assets had to do, he had to sell part of his library. On November 30, 1938, for an exit visa for Switzerland and sold in January 1939 his Berlin home. Only a few weeks before the start of World War II, on 5 July, he was able to emigrate with his wife in Switzerland. From there, he published his last work, the priest books that appeared in Lund. 1941 died in Zurich North.

Was married Eduard Norden with Marie Schultze, the daughter of former Mayor Richard Schultze Greifswald. They had five children ( Irmgard 1898-1969, Erwin 1900-1981, Werner 1901 *, Ulrich * 1903, * 1909 Gerda ). A 1902 born son died, however, after only 2 months.

Edward North brother Walter north was a medievalist and local scientists.

Tributes

In addition to the bodies already mentioned the north belonged to the Fathers of the Church Commission of the Prussian Academy of Sciences and the academies in Gothenburg, Göttingen, Leningrad, Lund, Naples and Vienna. Furthermore, he was a corresponding member of the Strasbourg Scientific Society in Heidelberg, since 1932 also a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences since 1920. In 1909 he was awarded the Red Eagle IV class. The Cambridge University honored him with the award of an honorary doctorate ( D.Litt. Hc ) on 4 June 1929. Occasion of the award of an honorary doctorate in 1936 named him the President of Harvard University, Conant, "the most famous Latinist in the world".

Eduard Norden, who was one of the most influential archaeologist of his time, laid the foundations of modern rhetoric research in the 20th century and led the scientific analysis of religion in Classical Philology. About him is, however, also said that it was not easy to deal with.

Credentials

Writings (selection )

• The ancient art of prose VI. Century BC to the time of the Renaissance. Two volumes, Teubner, Leipzig, 1898.
• P. Vergilius Maro, Aeneid, Book VI, declared by Eduard Norden, Teubner, Leipzig, 1903; 2nd edition, 1916.
• Introduction to the Classical Studies (edited with Alfred Gercke ), Teubner, Berlin - Leipzig, three volumes in several volumes, 1910-1927. in: The Roman literature., 1910. 3rd edition 1923. 7th edition ( supplemented reprint of the 3rd edition ) Teubner, Stuttgart, 1998.