Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand Solger

Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand Solger ( born November 28, 1780 in Schwedt aO in Uckermark, † October 25, 1819 in Berlin) was a philologist and philosopher of German Idealism.

Life

After a visit to the Berlin High School to the Grey Abbey Solger studied from 1798 to 1801 in Hall law and classical philology, and then spent a semester in Jena, where he heard Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling's lectures on "Presentation of My System of Philosophy". In 1802 he traveled to France and Switzerland. He was returned to Berlin clerk in the war and domain chamber and pursued his studies. So he took about 1804 Johann Gottlieb Fichte's College on the theory of science part. In 1807 he left the civil service, received his doctorate in 1808 with his translation of Sophocles tragedies and followed in 1809 a professorship at the University of Frankfurt / Oder.

1811 Solger was appointed to the newly founded University of Berlin, where he was rector in 1814-15. His teaching included not only vast fields of classical philology and philosophy with a focus on aesthetics, metaphysics, logic, and philosophy of law. Here he worked alongside Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, whose appointment to Berlin, he played a determining role, and was, until his sudden death in the fall of 1819 worked.

Freitagsgesellschaft

During his studies Solger took in hall with friends at the so-called Friday society in part: On that day the literary and scientific relevance was discussed, or own texts were read and critically commented. This group of friends remained in place until the later 19th century in contact. At that included, inter alia, Friedrich von Raumer, Friedrich Heinrich von der Hagen, Ludwig Hain, Friedrich August Gotthold. In addition Solger had during his Jena semester, Greek society by Johann Heinrich Voss visited the Younger, where he closely befriended with the latter and with Bernhard Rudolf Abeken. He met his closest friend, however, only later to know: in 1811 began his friendship with the poet Ludwig Tieck. The lively exchange of ideas on the subject of Shakespeare's philology, religion, irony, heard between the two men on first with Solger death.

Family

1813 married Henriette Solger of the Groeben, the only daughter of Major Wilhelm Ludwig Heinrich von der Groeben († 1794) and his wife Henriette Emilie of Kropff ( 1772-1856 ). He had with her four children (one died in 1816 at the age of one year). His daughter Adelheid (1817-1870) married on July 15, 1836 the Dutch politician Johan Rudolf Thorbecke ( 1798-1872 ). They were well acquainted with the poet Ludwig Tieck, later pulled the widow even for his sake to Dresden; their correspondence is partially preserved.

Work

Solger initially published translations from the Greek, especially of Pindar in the journal Pantheon. Successful only to a limited extent was the publication of the translation of Sophocles (Berlin 1808, 2 vols, 3rd edition 1837, new edition 2008, Fischer TB), the Solger had but thanks to a good reputation in the learned world, and even in Goethe.

From 1809 he worked on an extensive mythology - work, which he could not complete. In parallel, he worked 1811-1815 a four-part dialogue, Erwin. Four talks about the beauty and the art (Berlin 1815, 2 vols, in 1 vol annotated reprint of W. Henckmann 1970), which remained virtually unnoticed, although central criteria in the romantic and idealistic ideas were taken up again and articulates (symbol and allegory, irony ).

This was followed by Philosophical conversations (Berlin 1817).

Solger died at the time of publication of his extensive review of the lectures AW Schlegel for dramatic art and literature in Vienna yearbooks (Reprint by W. Henckmann together with the Erwin 1970). Best known is the posthumous edition of his lectures on aesthetics by his former student Karl Wilhelm Ludwig Heyse (Berlin 1829), which takes up the theme of Erwin with a more accessible, however, but shallower presentation form.

Most unfinished texts Solger can be found in his posthumous writings and letters, which were published by his friends Johann Ludwig Tieck and Friedrich von Raumer (Leipzig 1826, 2 vols, reprint 1973).

Reception

So far Solger was received primarily as a theorist of the symbol and irony. The focus of the reception of his aesthetics is the concept of ' romantic irony '. Under this keyword Solger is usually closer to the concept of irony the Jena / Schlegel's romanticism. But aesthetic thinking Solger takes a different approach than thinking Schlegel. In addition, aligns the interests of the current research on other aspects of his philosophy, including the philosophy of religion and metaphysics and the theory of dialogue.

Known students

• Johann Gottlieb Kunisch (1789-1852) was a German high school teacher at the Collegium Fridericianum in Breslau, author and editor

Works

• Erwin. Four talks about the beauty and art.. Berlin 1815 ( digitized first part; digitized second part )
• Philosophical conversations. Berlin 1817 ( digitized First Collection )
• Solger 's posthumous writings and correspondence. Leipzig 1826 ( 1 digitized tape, digitized Volume 2 )
• K. W. F. Solger 's lectures on aesthetics. Leipzig 1829 ( digitized )