Peter Wilhelm Forchhammer

Peter Wilhelm Forchhammer ( born October 23, 1801 in Husum, † January 8, 1894 in Kiel ) was a German classical scholar, archaeologist and Liberal politician.

Background and employment

The father was a teacher and later school principal, after his early death in 1810 Peter Wilhelm Forchhammer was reared on the farm of a relative along with his sons by a tutor. Later he came to a school in Tønder on the Katharineum to Lübeck, which he attended until Easter 1821. From 1821 he devoted himself to " classical studies " in Kiel, later he went to Leipzig temporary. In Kiel he became in 1821 a member of the fraternity Germania Kiel. After a short stay in Copenhagen, where his brother Georg Forchhammer geology professor, was he prepared in Kiel on his doctoral degree and was next employed as a private tutor. In 1828 he received his doctorate and habilitation already a year later. Initially, he worked as a lecturer in Kiel. In 1836 he was appointed associate and full professor in 1842. He was next to Otto Jahn, the first who offered archaeological courses in Kiel.

Scientific work

In the years 1830-1834 and 1838-1840 Forchhammer undertook research trips in the Mediterranean. It solidified in him the realization that the study of language and writings of the Greeks and Romans would not be enough. Must be added the study of sculptures and monuments, but also with the geography and climate.

Were aligned purely historical or antiquarian earlier writings Forchhammers, he tried his travels since the topography, mythology and archeology to consider. The result was 1841 Topography of Athens. In 1850 he created, together with the later British Vice Admiral Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt a map of the plain of Troy and provided them with annotations. Its most important, dedicated mythology font appeared in 1837 " Hellenica. Greece in new the old one. " In this book he presented a theory on the origin of the Greek myths. Also in play climatic and geographical aspects play a central role. The " Permanent " and " very old" were formative for Forchhammer cultural elements. It was followed by numerous similar work. So he dealt with the legends of Troy or the founding of Rome. Although later authors criticized his theories, they have revived the science. Forchhammer himself held steadfastly on them. His last work, " Homer, his language and the battle grounds of the gods and heroes. One last word of explanation of the Iliad " of 1893 was written on the basis of his theories.

He caused a sensation in 1837 with his book " The Athenians and Socrates. The statutory and revolutionary. " While almost all other scientists had taken Socrates party, he interpreted the behavior of the Athenian legal and the death sentence was just.

In the field of classical philology Forchhammer has worked hard. He has presented in 1864 an extensive work on Aristotle.

Forchhammer tried beyond the circle of scientists out to arouse interest for scholars of antiquity: After his return from Greece in 1840 Forchhammer applied for the establishment of a museum of plaster casts of antique works of art. In 1842 he was able to open the museum in Kiel Castle in the presence of King Christian VIII. The former collection eventually became the basis of the collection of antiquities at the Kunsthalle Kiel.

Political action

Throughout his life, Forchhammer has operated in the politically liberal sense. Also the national movement he was connected. He was in 1844 one of the founders of the "First Men Kieler Turnverein ". By recourse to Aristotle, he has tried in his book of 1849 Democrats, " ennobling " influence the political opinions. The Revolution of 1848, he explicitly welcomed, but at the same time he called for moderation in the procedure. In particular, Forchhammer fought for the independence of Schleswig and Holstein. The 1863 and the German War of 1866 took place after the German - Danish War of integration of the two duchies to Prussia, he first refused. After the founding of the German Empire, he accepted this development. From 1867 to 1873 he was a liberal (left center ) to the Prussian House of Representatives. Between 1870 and 1873 he was a member of the Reichstag. Since 1876 Forchhammer represented then the Christian -Albrechts -University of Kiel in the Prussian House of Lords.

1872 married Forchhammer a daughter of his childhood friend Wilhelm Olshausen.

Writings

  • The Athenians and Socrates. The statutory and revolutionary. Nicolai, Berlin 1837 ( digitized )
  • Hellenica: Greece, the old in the new. With a copper plate and a map of Boeotia. Nicolai, Berlin 1837 ( digitized )
  • Topography of Athens. Heavy, Kiel 1841
  • Aristotle and the exoteric speeches. Homann, Kiel 1864
  • The founding of Rome. C. F. Mohr, Kiel 1868
  • Statement of the Iliad, due to the shown on the attached map of discontinued stock Spratt and Forchhammer topical and physical peculiarities of the Trojan plain. A contribution to the settlement of the Homeric question. 2nd unchanged edition, Lipsius & Tischer, Kiel 1888
  • Prolegomena to mythology as science and encyclopedia of myths language. Haeseler, Kiel 1891
  • Homer. His language, the battle grounds of his heroes and gods in the Troad. A final word of explanation of the Iliad. Tischer, Kiel 1893
  • Democrats Booklet. Nicolai, Berlin 1849
  • States of Schleswig -Holstein 's portrayed in some Actenstücken. Bronner, Frankfurt q.s. 1850
  • State and Unity State. Academic Bookstore, Kiel 1866 ( digitized )
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