Guido Verbeck
Guido Herman Fridolin Verbeck, and Verbeek ( born January 28, 1830 in Zeist, Netherlands, † May 10, 1898 in Tokyo) was a missionary who practiced as a teacher and counselor a big impact on Japan in the early Meiji period.
Childhood and youth
Verbeck was born the sixth of eight children of the married couple Karl and Anna Maria Verbeck in the Dutch town of Zeist. His family belonged to the Moravian Church. After finishing school, he began studying engineering at the Polytechnic Institute in Utrecht.
USA
At the age of 22, he traveled at the invitation of a brother in law in the United States, where he worked for about a year in a company founded by the Moravians forge in Green Bay (Wisconsin ). During this time, he changed the spelling of his name from " Verbeek " to Verbeck. To see more of America, he moved on to Brooklyn (New York City ) and from there to Helena, Arkansas, where he worked as an engineer. The lives of the slaves on the plantations moved him deeply, as well as the teachings of the preacher HW Beecher. [Note 1] After 1854, a cholera survives a narrow escape, he went in 1855 at a theological seminary in Auburn (New York).
Nagasaki
During his training, the Japanese government gave more freely and more ports for the landing of aliens. 1859 and Nagasaki was opened. In March Verbeck finished his education at Auburn and became a missionary of the Dutch Reformed Church. In April, he married Maria Manion, shortly after the couple began to Shanghai on. From here he journeyed alone and met in November in Nagasaki. Here he lived first in Sofuku Temple ( Sofuku -ji). After he was able to hire a suitable residence, met in December his wife.
Since any missionary activity was still prohibited, the missionaries entered the country were preparing with the study of language and the translation of texts. From 1860 Verbeck taught four young Japanese in the English language.
The situation in this time of change was confusing and not safe for Westerners. In September 1862, the Englishman Charles Richardson fell victim to a stop. Also in Nagasaki it was necessary to be careful. Although the Verbecks had now moved their domicile in the enclave for foreigners, but the following year moved Verbeck for half a year with his family to Shanghai, waiting for an improvement in conditions.
The monitoring of the maritime area of Nagasaki, one directly under the central government established city, alternately from the two domains Fukuoka ( province Chikuzen ) and the domain Saga ( Hizen Province ) was perceived. 1863 took an interest in the Western sciences as well as in Christianity Majordomo of the rulers of Saga domain, Murata Wakasa (村田 若 狭), contact Verbeck on and sent two young men for information in English. As a result, close relationship between Verbeck and Saga developed. [Note 2] Even the governor of Nagasaki had realized that could be of benefit Verbeck. He advocated that the government in Edomachi district a school for Western studies (洋 学 所, Yōgakusho ) created, and from August 1864 issued here Verbeck taught in foreign languages and science. In the same year the establishment was laid and in " school " (语 学 所, Gogakusho ) renamed. Soon after, we moved again. At the now " house of moral excellence " (済 美 馆, Saibikan ) [note 3] ) said means were English, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Dutch, history, geography, mathematics, physics and economics taught by a total of 19 teachers. Used in his English classes Verbeck the American Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Internal short, this school earned an excellent reputation, and in 1867 received Verbeck writing the lords of Kaga, Satsuma, Tosa and Hizen, who wanted to build similar institutions in their domains. The domain Saga had in 1865 a school, Chiekan (致远 馆), set up in Nagasaki, the line held Verbeck. Until the so-called Meiji restoration in 1868, he taught at two institutions at the same time hence. Some of his students like Okuma Shigenobu, Soejima Taneomi, Okubo Toshimichi, Sagara Chian, Koide Sennosuke, Yamaguchi Masuka, Ishimaru Yasuyo and Mawatari Toshiyuki should soon make a career.
Verbeck was also assist in the employment of William Elliot Griffis, Fukui. The life of two missionaries crossed repeatedly during the following years, and after death Verbecks Griffins wrote an extensive biography of the deceased.
Furthermore caused Verbeck that a Shinkichi by Takahashi (1843-1918) and Masayoshi Maeda edited dictionary, known in Japan as " Satsuma dictionary ", was printed by the American Presbyterian Mission Press in Shanghai in 1869. [Note 4]
In 1867 his son Gustave was born in Nagasaki, which in the U.S. was a cartoonist later.
Tokyo
1867 joined the last shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty back in early 1868 Tennō was re-installed as the highest state authority, and a little later the reformers began their work. Many were from the western parts of the country. Some of them were as Verbeck quickly discovered, a former student of his, who appreciated even now his skills and his advice.
Verbeck undertook an exploratory trip to Osaka, where he realized that foreign interest had been directed to the populous and economically important regions Kansai and Kanto. When he received an invitation from Lee- Okubo, who had meanwhile gained great influence as a kind of interior minister, he took the opportunity and took the place of a teacher in 1869, " High School South " at the (大学 南 校, Daigaku Nanko - ) in Tokyo to. This was soon after in the " school development " (开 成 学校, Kaisei - Gakko ) renamed nucleus of the first modern university in Japan, the Imperial University of Tokyo. Here he practiced on the young, inquisitive students a strong influence. For a while Takahashi Korekiyo lived in his house, who had learned English in the missionary James Hepburn in Yokohama and later Prime Minister should be.
Verbeck also served as advisor to the Meiji government Sanjō Sanetomi. As Sagara Chian, one of his students from Saga, was entrusted with the reform of the Medizinalwesens, supported Verbeck emphatically its position so that the government in 1871 opted for the German medicine as the basis of medical education and practice in Japan. Verbeck exerted an influence on the establishment of the government in the prefectures created instead of the old feudal. The, probably in reference to the Great Embassy of Peter the Great developed idea for a reconnaissance trip to the USA and to Europe left him after their realization under the name Iwakura Mission ( December 1871-September 1873 ) in the history books. [Note 5]
1871, the Ministry of Education was established, the Verbeck used as a guide for the introduction of the modern school system in 1872.
In February 1873, the force for two centuries prohibition of Christianity in Japan was lifted, so that he was able to pursue his missionary activities open. However, the burden of these years in Japan was not without consequences for his health. [Note 6] In 1873 he took leave for half a year to recover and traveled from Yokohama to London. In June, he made a short trip to Switzerland to Iwakura Tomomi, who was preparing with his entourage to return to Japan to meet. On this occasion he paid a long time his hometown a visit.
After his return he gave up the position at the university. In the same year he received a five-year contract as attaché at the Japanese Senate and spent the following years as a missionary, a counselor and - in close cooperation with Japanese scholars - as a translator of legal texts ( Code Napoleon, Johann Caspar Bluntschli General State law, the constitutions of many units based in Europe and America, etc.). In 1877 he taught at the esteemed court circles of "Studies Academy " (学习 院, Gakushuin ). In 1886 he became professor of theology at Meiji College (明治 学院, Meiji Gakuin ).
When he wanted to relocate with his daughter in the United States in 1890, he was denied this because he could not prove his Dutch citizenship and the former residence in the United States was not sufficient for naturalization. Then he asked the Japanese government made a permanent residence and travel authorization for Japan.
Verbeck died in 1898 at the age of 68 years from a heart attack. In recognition of the great merits of the deceased the Tennō sent a memorial gift of 500 yen. [Note 7] At the funeral in Aoyama Cemetery Tokyo participated to an envoy of the court and other dignitaries.
As Okubo Lee- founded the Waseda University in 1882, he referred explicitly to Verbeck, who had made him acquainted with the life and work of Thomas Jefferson.
Honors
1877 Verbeck received the introduced two years earlier Order of the Rising Sun.
Writings Verbecks
- G. F. Verbeck: Hōgaku Shishin. Tōkyō: Kinkōdō, Meiji 10
- G. F. Verbeck: What is the best method of acquiring the Japanese language: a paper read before the Missionary Conference Tokyo, November, 1882 [Sl: sn, 1882 ]. .
- G. F. Verbeck: History of Protestant missions in Japan: read at the Osaka Conference. Yokohama: R. Meiklejohn, 1883.
- Ambrose D. Gring; G. F. Verbeck: The Heidelberg Catechism, or the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, in English, and Japanese Colloquial confirmed with proofs from the holy Scriptures. Yokohama: R. Meiklejohn & Co., 1884.
- G. F. Verbeck: A synopsis of all the Conjugations of the Japanese verbs, with explanatory text and practical application. Yokohama: . Kelly & Walsh, 1887 ( 95 p. )
- Y. Murakami N.; GF Verbeck: A New easy conversations in English and Japanese, angepasst for Japanese schools. Osaka: Sasuke M., 1887.
- G. F. Verbeck: Hito no kami o ogamubeki Riyu. Tōkyō: Kirisutokyō Shorui Kaisha, Meiji 29