Hans Momsen

Hans Momsen ( born October 23, 1735 in Fahretoft in North Friesland, † September 13, 1811 ) was a North Frisian farmer, mathematician and astronomer.

Life

Hans Momsen was duly in the small town Fahretoft, then the Duchy of Schleswig in the Danish state, born near the North Sea coast, the son of the farmer Momme Jensen. His father had occasionally worked as a teacher of navigation in the Netherlands. Momsen moved in 1753 after Dithmar and found a job as a land surveyor in dike construction. Later he took over the farm of his father and lived as a farmer and polymath. He understood, despite the lack of university education to elaborate mathematical calculations and the construction of astronomical instruments. He taught himself foreign languages ​​in order to understand important works, and taught gifted students in mathematics, surveying and navigation. One of his students, the son of the local pastor cancer, was professor of mathematics in Copenhagen. Furthermore Momsen worked as a surveyor, and built an organ for the church Fahretofter.

Hans Momsen was married and had nine children.

Aftermath

While the organ built by Momsen was played only one year in the church, still adorns a constructed sundial from him the entrance to the church. Many of his astronomical units are preserved and are exhibited in museums. His abilities were praised as follows:

" You heard probably already, Lord, the Frisians expect good, and all were also probably already over our Hans Mommsen hear talk of Fahretoft, who was a farmer and could make but compasses and Seeuhren, telescopes and organs. "

While Hans Momsen occurs only as a marginal figure in the novel, is said to have served his character for the protagonist Hauke ​​sharks as a template.

The district of North Friesland gives every year since 1986 the Hans Momsen Award " for outstanding contribution to the cultural life in Northern Friesland ".

Others

The surname Momsen and Mommsen mean son of Momme. The two spellings were sometimes reversed. This explains the notation in the Theodor -Storm- quote. However, a relationship Hans Momsen with Nobel Laureate Theodor Mommsen is not.