Bernhard Rudolf Abeken
Encyclopedia
Bernhard Rudolf Abeken was a German
philologist and literature historian
.
. His father was a Catholic merchant
, who was much religious for his family. Thus, Bernhard Abeken, who was an avid reader since being five-year old, started reading religious and historical literature.
After finishing college in 1799, Abeken went to the University of Jena to study theology
, and also began with philosophy
and general studies. While in Jena, he often visited the house of Johann Jakob Griesbach
where he had the opportunity to meet with famous German poets. This led him soon to abandon his initial career aspiration and to engage in newer literature and general education. In 1802, he became teacher in the house of minister von der Recke, in Berlin. There, Abeken studied further science and arts. In 1808 he went to Weimar
to educate Schiller's children. In Jena, Berlin, Weimar, and Rudolstadt
, these were Abeken's most active years within intellectual circles.
In 1810 he became vice headmaster at the college of Rudolstadt
. Five years later, he answered the call to the college of Osnabrück, also as its vice headmaster, there to start a series of reforms. In 1841 he became headmaster. Abeken retired in 1863, but nevertheless continued to teach about Sophocles
and Cicero
till his death in 1866.
Bernhard is the father of two famous sons, Hermann Abelen and Wilhelm Ludwig Abelen.
Abeken held lectures on Dante Alighieri
, in Rudolstadt
(1814-1815) and Berlin (1808). He disliked seeking allegories in the Divine Comedy, instead looking for more ethical and religious interpretations.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
philologist and literature historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Life
Abeken was born in OsnabrückOsnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
. His father was a Catholic merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, who was much religious for his family. Thus, Bernhard Abeken, who was an avid reader since being five-year old, started reading religious and historical literature.
After finishing college in 1799, Abeken went to the University of Jena to study theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, and also began with philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and general studies. While in Jena, he often visited the house of Johann Jakob Griesbach
Johann Jakob Griesbach
Johann Jakob Griesbach , German biblical textual critic, was born at Butzbach, a small town in the state of Hesse, where his father, Konrad Kaspar , was pastor...
where he had the opportunity to meet with famous German poets. This led him soon to abandon his initial career aspiration and to engage in newer literature and general education. In 1802, he became teacher in the house of minister von der Recke, in Berlin. There, Abeken studied further science and arts. In 1808 he went to Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
to educate Schiller's children. In Jena, Berlin, Weimar, and Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
, these were Abeken's most active years within intellectual circles.
In 1810 he became vice headmaster at the college of Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
. Five years later, he answered the call to the college of Osnabrück, also as its vice headmaster, there to start a series of reforms. In 1841 he became headmaster. Abeken retired in 1863, but nevertheless continued to teach about Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides...
and Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
till his death in 1866.
Bernhard is the father of two famous sons, Hermann Abelen and Wilhelm Ludwig Abelen.
Works
Bernhard Abeken studied the history of literature, specially when reviewing.Abeken held lectures on Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
, in Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
(1814-1815) and Berlin (1808). He disliked seeking allegories in the Divine Comedy, instead looking for more ethical and religious interpretations.
- Beiträge zum Studium der göttlichen Comödie Dante's, 1826.
- Cicero in seinen Briefen, 1835
- Ein Stück aus Goethe's Leben, 1848
- Goethe in den Jahren 1771-75, 1861
- editor of the complete edition of the works of Justus MöserJustus MöserJustus Möser was a German jurist and social theorist.Having studied law at the universities of Jena and Göttingen, he settled in his native town as a lawyer and was soon appointed advocatus patriae by his fellow citizens...
, 1842-43
Sources
- Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie - online version at WikisourceWikisourceWikisource is an online digital library of free content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Its aims are to host all forms of free text, in many languages, and translations. Originally conceived as an archive to store useful or important historical texts, it has...