Theodore Haak

Theodore Haak (* 1605 in Worms- Neuhausen, † 1690 in London) was a learned German Calvinist.

Life and work

At 20 he moved to England, where he is known by the name of Theodore Haak form. He worked as a translator. His most outstanding works were the Dutch Annotations Upon the Whole Bible ( Dutch comments on the entire Bible ), the translation of the commentary on the Dutch edition of the Bible " Statenbijbel " into English, on which he worked from 1645 to 1657.

He studied at Oxford, Cambridge and suffering. 1626 he was in Cologne. Aside from his short time in the Netherlands and the Rhineland he lived in England, but he led an international correspondence, including with Mersenne. He was secretary of Charles I Louis Elector Palatine, as this was in England from 1644 to 1649. After the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 this Haak offered continued employment in Germany, which Haak declined. Nevertheless, he remained a representative of the electors. 1643/1644 he worked for the British government as a diplomat in Denmark.

Haak was inducted into the Royal Society on 20 May 1663 was one of the first official members ( "Original Fellow" ). He had previously in the " Invisible Council " competition ( active since 1645) and was the initiator of this meeting. To him, the idea for the foundation of society is ascribed. This is obviously based on a remark by John Wallis at the end of the century. Jardine describes the situation at that time as follows: Haak held during the war in London because the court of the Palatinate resided there, while others who were members of the Royal Society later stayed in royalist Oxford. Haak has taught at the Puritan Gresham College.

Haak has translated a part of Paradise Lost into German., But the translation was not published. He tried to Henrich Ludolff Benthem, but without result.