Andreas Helwig
Encyclopedia
Andreas Helwig (1572–1643) was a German classical scholar and linguist
. His Origenes dictionum germanicarum (1622) was a pioneer etymological
work of the German language
.
of the University of Berlin from 1611 to 1614, then professor of poetry from 1614 to 1616. Subsequently he taught at the Gymnasium at Stralsund
.
etymological dictionary. In his period at Berlin, he published Antichristus Romanus, an anti-papal work including the numerical formula identifying Vicarius Filii Dei
, an alleged title of the Pope
, reduced to its Roman numerals
and summed to 666
. Brady mentions a theory of Johann Christoph Wolf
that Helwig had already published this observation in an anonymous work of 1600.
Such cryptograms were not uncommon; Brady comments on (from Richard Bernard
's Key of Knowledge of 1617) the phrase Generalis Dei Vicarius in Terris likewise treated, and Thomas Beard
’s 1625 permutation Vicarius Dei Generalis in Terris, perhaps influenced by Helwig. This became Vicarius Dei Generalis in Terris with Hezekiah Holland in 1650. But interest in Helwig’s formulation has outlasted the others.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
. His Origenes dictionum germanicarum (1622) was a pioneer etymological
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
work of the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Life
Helwig was rectorRector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the University of Berlin from 1611 to 1614, then professor of poetry from 1614 to 1616. Subsequently he taught at the Gymnasium at Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
.
Works
In 1602 he published a GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
etymological dictionary. In his period at Berlin, he published Antichristus Romanus, an anti-papal work including the numerical formula identifying Vicarius Filii Dei
Vicarius Filii Dei
Vicarius Filii Dei is a phrase first used in the forged medieval Donation of Constantine to refer to Saint Peter, a leader of the Early Christian Church and regarded as the first Pope by the Catholic Church...
, an alleged title of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, reduced to its Roman numerals
Roman numerals
The numeral system of ancient Rome, or Roman numerals, uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to signify values. The numbers 1 to 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:...
and summed to 666
666 (number)
666 is the natural number following 665 and preceding 667.- In mathematics :666 is the sum of the first 36 natural numbers 666 (six hundred and sixty-six) is the natural number following 665 and preceding 667.- In mathematics :666 is the sum of the first 36 natural numbers 666 (six hundred and...
. Brady mentions a theory of Johann Christoph Wolf
Johann Christoph Wolf
Johann Christoph Wolf was a German Christian Hebraist, polyhistor, and collector of books....
that Helwig had already published this observation in an anonymous work of 1600.
Such cryptograms were not uncommon; Brady comments on (from Richard Bernard
Richard Bernard
Richard Bernard was an English Puritan clergyman and writer.-Life:Bernard was born in Epworth and received his education at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1592, obtained his BA in 1595, and an MA in 1598. He was married in 1601 and had six children...
's Key of Knowledge of 1617) the phrase Generalis Dei Vicarius in Terris likewise treated, and Thomas Beard
Thomas Beard
Thomas Beard was an English clergyman and theologian, of Puritan views. He is known as the author of The Theatre of God's Judgements, and the schoolmaster of Oliver Cromwell at Huntingdon.-Life:...
’s 1625 permutation Vicarius Dei Generalis in Terris, perhaps influenced by Helwig. This became Vicarius Dei Generalis in Terris with Hezekiah Holland in 1650. But interest in Helwig’s formulation has outlasted the others.