Justus Möser

Justus Moser ( born December 14, 1720 in Osnabrück, † January 8, 1794 ) was a German jurist, statesman, writer and historian. His daughter is Jenny from Voigt.

Life

Moser grew up in Osnabrück, where his father was office director, and studied after the visit of the Council Gymnasium in Osnabrück Jena since 1740 and in Göttingen since 1742, the rights and the Arts and Humanities. 1743 he was in Osnabruck Secretary of the estates and settled down as a lawyer in 1744. His vigorous stand against the arbitrary acts of the then governor of Osnabrück fell, so that he was appointed ( in litigation to counsel for the State ) to advocate patriae. Since 1755, he represented both as counsel the rights of chivalry, in 1768 he was privy clerk. Due to this position, he had on all matters of the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück to high end of his life influence. In 1743 he became Privy Councillor. From 1763 he led the regency for the first minor, later constantly abroad staying Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück, Frederick Duke of York.

Moser's most important life's work is his legal work: Initially, after clearly than elsewhere receive in the contemporary small Osnabrück region remains old Germanic life in the constitution and popular custom, he led the Germanic law over in the Roman law. The current German legal system is based on his ideas.

Even the literary work of Moser's is diverse: In numerous writings, he commented on politics, history, theater and literature and made a very important contribution to German intellectual history during the period of the Enlightenment. As a " corporative poet " he is mainly due to its "patriotic fantasies " in memory. Lessing, Herder and Goethe found words of praise for the work of journalists, whose political ideals included a free, secure in his property and self-government in the political life contributing peasants and middle classes ( the position of which he, among other things, in his " share " theory founded). Marked him Goethe as the " Patriarch of Osnabrück ."

Moser attacked the stage reform of Johann Christoph Gottsched and sat critically with the Anacreontics. In 1781 he criticized the one-sided condemnation of German literature by Frederick II of Prussia. In his late work Moser had reached the Sturm und Drang.

As a publicist Moser was given the nickname "Father of Folklore ," because he had written numerous articles on folklore and traditions. In 1766 he founded the "Weekly Osnabrückischen intelligence leaves ", which he headed until 1782 and until 1792 supplied by contributing. From the written for this magazine papers he presented in 1774 a selection under the general title "Patriotic fantasies " together. These essays are popular pattern treating various topics, small treatises, such as " Harlequin, or defense of the Grotesque - Comic " or " the German language and literature ". An outstanding historical work was his 1768 " Osnabrückische history."

As a historian, he represented an organic conception of history and turned against the tendencies of the Enlightenment, and later the French Revolution. Klaus W. Epstein characterized him as a personification of the pre-revolutionary status quo conservatism. Moser influenced the development of German nationalism.

In his writings Moser defines the state different from his contemporaries. The State is no territory, but a kind of joint-stock company, each person acquiring a parcel of land or money in return and acquire participation and participation rights. A patriot is less the one who draw for his country in the battle than the one ( flower) promotes its "Flor " in agriculture, trade and commerce.

His grave stone is located in the Church of St. Mary on the south side under the window by Johannes Schreiter. 1836 be created by Friedrich Drake monument was erected on the Domhof to Osnabrück. Moser's birth house is on the market, it was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt. Moser's residence, where he spent the last 19 years of his life, standing on a part of the plot, on the 1902, the (former public school ) was built Moser Middle School.

Private

In 1746 he married Elisabeth Juliane Brouning, with whom he 's daughter Jenny and son Johann Ernst Justus (* 1753, † 1773) had.

Afterlife

The " Justus Moser Society " was 1987/88 established with the aim to make available to the life and work of a wide Moser, not only public interested in literature at home and abroad. The Company is a section in the Society for History and Geography of Osnabrück.

Since 1988, it has taken on the " Justus Moser Documentation Agent" to trace the life of this important figure.

In commemoration of the merits of Justus Moser's the city of Osnabrück gives the Justus Moser Medal to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to Osnabrück or region.

Monument

Through the mediation of the sculptor Christian Daniel Rauch still young sculptor Friedrich Drake received the order of " Moser - club ", create a colossal statue of Justus Moser Osnabruck. The monument was unveiled on September 12, 1836 in the Cathedral Square.

Squares, streets, roads and buildings

In 2002, the city Bramsche Moser praised service to the draper beings by naming a place and a path for his name.

• A " Justus Moser Road " is available in Melle and Warendorf.
• A " Justus Moser Way" is available in Bramsche and sword.
• A " Justus Moser - space " there is in Bramsche
• A " Möserstraße " is in Berlin, Bramsche (since 2002) to find food ( since May 16, 1902 ), casting, Osnabrück, Panke Valley and Traunstein.
• " Möserweg " in Bad Waldsee, Münster in Westphalia
• The city of Osnabrück has named a school after 1927 Justus Moser. Since 2004 she is called Moser -Realschule Westerberg.

Works

• Harlequin or defense of the grotesque - comic. 1761 ( digitized ); new revised edition: Cramer, Bremen 1777 ( digitized ).
• Osnabrückische History: General introduction. Schmid, Osnabrück 1768 ( digitized, digitized and full text in German Text Archive )

• Patriotic fantasies ( 1.1775-4.1786 ). ( Digitized and full text in German Text Archive Vol 1, digitized and full text in German Text Archive Vol 2, digitized and full text in German Text Archive Vol 3, digitized and full text in German Text Archive Vol 4).
• The virtue on the stage or Harlequin marriage: A stoppage in a lifts. Nicolai, Berlin / Stettin 1798 ( digitized ).
• Society and state. A selection from his writings ( = The German idea of ​​the state number one. Leaders and thinkers Vol 3. ). Edited and introduced by Karl Brandi. Three masks, Munich 1921 ( digitized ).
• Complete Works. Historical- critical edition in 14 volumes ( in 16 parts ). Stalling, Oldenburg / Osnabrück 1943-1990, ISBN 3-87898-255-0.
• Correspondence ( = Publications of the Historical Commission of Lower Saxony and Bremen. Vol. 21). Newly edited by William F. Sheldon in collaboration with Horst -Rüdiger Jarck. Hahn, Hannover 1992, ISBN 3-7752-5871- X.