Georg Weber (historian)

Georg Weber ( born February 10, 1808 in Bergzabern; † August 10, 1888 in Heidelberg ) was a German historian and philologist Classic. He studied philology and history and then became a high school teacher.

Life

Raised in Bergzabern he attended from 1825 to 1828, the high school in Speyer, where he in 1828 the Abitur. In the summer semester 1828, he began the study of theology at the University of Erlangen, in the winter semester 1828/29 he moved to the study of history and classical philology. From the summer semester 1829 to the summer semester 1832 he continued his studies in Heidelberg, where he continued his teacher graduated in 1832 and Dr. phil. received his doctorate. 1833-1835 he traveled to Italy and France, 1835-1838, he was a teacher at the Gymnasium in Bergzabern (Board of the Latin School ), 1839-1848 2 main teacher at the high school in Heidelberg, from 1848 to 1872 director of the high school in Heidelberg. In 1872 he retired, he spent in Heidelberg.

Marriage into a wealthy family

" In his tenure at the High School citizens married the 30 -year-old four years his senior, originally from a wealthy family Ida cup ( 1804-1888 ); they should bear him a daughter and four sons. About it he got access to the academic circles of the city. In his ' Heidelberger memories ' (1886 ) Weber describes the spiritual life of Heidelberg in the mirror of his acquaintances " with almost all scholars of the University of Rank. " For two years after his marriage made ​​Weber the imposing residence in the Neuenheimer Landstrasse 8 in the style of fashionable classicism build. The land he had bought from former mayor Jakob Wilhelm Speyer. The beginning teacher paid the purchase price in cash, it was financed by his wealthy, widowed mother Caroline cup. She lived until her death at the home of her son in law. "

He was buried he. At the old cemetery in Heidelberg New home where the grave is, however, no longer receive However, there is a memorial stele at the Heidelberg Bergfriedhof ( Division L).

George Weber was a member of the 1828 soon after Extinct Corps, the fraternity Teutonia Erlangen. The fraternity Allemannia Heidelberg awarded him the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the University and of its 30th anniversary celebration Foundation on July 5, 1886, the honorary membership. Three of his sons ( Henry, 1842-1913; Karl, 1843-1898, Frederick Percy, 1844-1895 ) were 1860-1862 also members of the fraternity Allemannia in Heidelberg.

Work

George Weber was a successful in the second half of the 19th century historian; he did not see himself as a scientist but his job as a teacher as complying with knowledge mediator.

The book with the most readership was the " textbook of the history of the world " ( 1st edition 1847). With this title he became the didactics of history in a broad educational and artistic sense. This very fact is probably the most typical of Georg Weber's life's work as an educator with an extensive historical culture, he puts the emphasis on the educationally meaningful knowledge. Although his main work, the 15 - volume " General World History ", has no pronounced textbook character more, the educational purpose is yet out of the full title: General world history with special emphasis on intellectual and cultural life of the peoples and with use of the more recent historical research for the educated classes processed. So he used only the more recent historical research and edited it for the educated classes. More clearly, the educational mission can hardly be made ​​. He does not see himself as a scientist and researcher but as a knowledge broker. Addressee are not professional historians, but generally the educated classes, so man as he dismisses them from his school. Therefore derogatory voices regarded him as Popular historian. But it is precisely the professors of the University of Heidelberg paid him their recognition in view of its enormous journalistic performance. An English historian wrote of him: His work is without doubt the most complete and zusammenfassendste presentation of world history that is ever written by a single hand. He was the world 's most-read historian, as it is in a commemorative volume to his 150th birthday. From the teachers of the entire cultured world, his works were used. Great international success he achieved in that he avoided too one-sided opinions. So his books were translated during his lifetime into all European cultural languages ​​, it appeared even translations into Arabic, Persian, Indian, Japanese and Chinese. His book " The history of the world in a clear presentation " reached in 1935 the 25th edition. Both of his pedagogical works are said to have achieved his lifetime of its author more than 100,000 copies. Weber himself saw his rise from poverty and destitution on to middle-class wealth to his success as a historian and as a historical coincidence due to personal good conduct and moral rectitude.

Honors

In 1888 he was made an honorary citizen of Heidelberg. The City of Heidelberg was named after him Weberstraße in New Home, Weber wells above the Haarlaß on the extension of the philosophers path and sat him a memorial stone at the Heidelberg Bergfriedhof with his life motto be accessible to every sincere effort is true humanity. His birthplace Bad Bergzabern still honored him during his lifetime with the establishment of a memorial stone, which was renewed on the occasion of his 150th birthday in 1958, also a street named after him in Bad Bergzabern.

Writings

  • De Gytheo et rebus navalibus Lacedaemoniorum ( About GYTHEION and the seafaring nature of the Spartans ). Prize essay and dissertation Heidelberg 1833
  • Historical background of Calvinism in relation to the state, Heidelberg 1836
  • Textbook on world history, 1846, 2 volumes, Heidelberg 1851, 20th edition, Heidelberg 1888
  • History of German literature from its beginnings to the present, Leipzig, 1850, 11th edition, Leipzig 1880
  • Historical literature reading book, containing samples from the most important literary works of all nations and ages. 3 volumes, 1851 and 1852
  • World history in a concise representation, Leipzig 1851, 20th edition, Leipzig, 1889
  • History of non-Catholic churches and sects in the United Kingdom in 1845 and 1853, later under the title:
  • History of the reformation of the church in " United Kingdom ( new ed, Leipzig 1856, 2 volumes)
  • The patriotic element in the German school, four school speeches 1856
  • Reading book on the history of German literature, ancient and modern, Leipzig 1856
  • General World History edited with special emphasis on intellectual and cultural life of the peoples and with use of the newer historical research for the educated classes. Leipzig 1857-1880, 15 volumes, 4 index volumes (in 1 volume); 2nd edition, 16 volumes, one index volume, Leipzig 1882-1899 ( online: Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 4, Vol 5, Vol 6, Vol 7, Vol 8, Bd. 9, Vol 10, Vol 11, Vol 12, Vol 15)
  • With Heinrich Holtzmann ( his son :) history of Israel and the origin of Christianity, 2 vols, Leipzig 1867
  • History of the Reformation era, Leipzig 1874
  • Friedrich Christoph Schlosser, the historian. Reminder sheets of his life and work, Leipzig 1876
  • My life and educational background. Preface to the textbook of the history of the world, off-print Leipzig 1883
  • Youth impressions and experiences, Leipzig 1883, 1887
  • Heidelberger memories. Stuttgart 1886
  • Images of history from different countries and ages, Leipzig 1886
  • Numerous articles in the "Heidelberg yearbooks ," Raumer " historic diary ", the "Deutsche Revue" and in the " Allgemeine Zeitung ".
Heinrich Martin Weber Heinrich Julius Holtzmann Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie Integrated Authority File
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