Erich Everth
Encyclopedia
Erich Everth was a German
art historian, journalist and scientist of newspaper and cultivation
. He was the first ordinary professor for Journalism
in Germany and directed from 1926 to 1933 the Institute for Journalism at the University of Leipzig. Alongside Otto Groth and Emil Dovifat Everth is one of the greatest german scientists for Journalism. With the Rise to power of the Nazis 1933 he was forced to retire and died soon after in sickness and bitterness.
and studied philosophy
and law
. Later he changed to philosophy, art history
and psychology
. His most important teacher was Max Dessoir
, who was struggling with the concept of a new systematic Science of Art
.
Everth received a PhD
in 1909 at the philosophical department of the University of Leipzig by August Schmarsow and Johannes Volkelt.
After the break-out of World War I
Everth was a soldier at the eastern front at first, before he gained a role as consultant in the press office of Ober Ost
and found time for publications again. In 1915 Everth published the pamphlet Von der Seele der Soldaten im Felde (About the soul of the soldier afield), which rapidly became one of the most dispersed texts under the german soldiers. No less than 20000 brochures were printed in 4 editions
. In contrast to usual pamphlets full of chauvinism
and heroism, Everth characterized the active soldier as a normal human being with problems and individual worries. Hermann Hesse
appreciated in a review exactly this fine psychological sight of Erich Everth.
After the war Everth went through some editorial departments of different newspapers, as there are the Leipziger Volkszeitung, the Berliner „Telegraphen Union“, the Vossische Zeitung
, the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
or the liberal Berliner Tageblatt
.
He published numerous articles on an extremely wide spectrum of matters. Along the way of his editorial work he wrote a lot of essays or shorter texts on occasion. They confirm, what the political angle of the different editorial office already suggested: Everth did change his political views from an monarchic-national point to an advocate of democracy
.
to be the first ordinary professor of the newly created chair for "Zeitungskunde" at the University of Leipzig. His concern was the methodological basement of the new academic discipline. Everth defined Zeitungskunde/Journalism
as a discipline of integration without a special method. In fact it is for him possible to use different methods from other disciplines in various combinations.
He restricted the object of "Zeitungskunde" to the newspaper, that means every printed periodical press.
This press meets in Everths opinion not only economic but equally social needs in public life. The press is more than just a usual earning company but at least in parts has its own spirit and is partially a piece of art itself.
Alfred Hugenberg
himself was the leader of the DNVP
, a party that was supporting the Nazis.
In this concert of like-minded there were few who intoned other melodies. And even less, that know how these concertos can end. To those belonged Everth, „a man of the more inconvenient sort, who was concerned for the Freedom of the press
at first – a concern that should cost him his career and honour and probably even his will to live“ (Arnulf Kutsch). The reclusive worker Everth now takes a firm stand and shows that he is not going to stay inside the ivory tower
of Academic elitism
due to the incidents.
At this demonstration, where one could hear the call for freedom of thought
for a last time, between 1000 and 2000 democratic or at least anti-Nazi minded intellectuals participated, for instance Käthe Kollwitz
, Max Brauer
, Willi Münzenberg
, Adolf Grimme, Ferdinand Tönnies
and Heinrich Mann
. Albert Einstein
composed a public appeal for attendance on February 6th.
Before normal termination the demonstration was ended by SA
violently. A few days later, on the other side of the plaza, the Reichstag
was ablaze and the hereupon enforced Reichstag Fire Decree
nullified many of the key civil liberties
of German citizens.
Everth. But he was the only one of the whole academic guild that had the courage to criticize the emergency regulations and the press policy of the Nazis.
Everths forced retirement
followed by September 30th 1933, although the investigation had revealed no justiciable evidence against him.
Everth, who had drawn all his life to the events underlying spiritual connections, who always focused more on the whole as to the little detail, must have been suffering particularly hard under the ever growing National Socialist "movement" and her brown aesthetics.
The dignified psychological observation, and the interdisciplinary view were Everths concern and talent. From this grew its Weltanschauung as well as the basic idea of his scientific theory. His sense of order had nothing in common with the designers and heralds of a Third Reich.
While the Nazis distinguished themselves on the streets by rampaging hordes of SA and in communication policy by censorship
and rushing propaganda
, Everth fought to the last with all his might. But it remained existentially incomprehensible for him, who now directed the fate of the German nation, especially since he had no illusions about their future under Adolf Hitler
s rule. The cause of his illness and fast death are therefore definitely also to find in that social development of Germany. Everth himself noted this fact in one of his last letters.
When Erich Everth died on in Leipzig, the long List of Victims of National Socialism got another entry.
.
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...
art historian, journalist and scientist of newspaper and cultivation
Cultivation
Cultivation may refer to:* plant cultivation* tillage, cultivation of the soil* breeding, cultivation of animals* Microbiological culture, a method of multiplying microbial organisms* A video game by Jason Rohrer...
. He was the first ordinary professor for Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
in Germany and directed from 1926 to 1933 the Institute for Journalism at the University of Leipzig. Alongside Otto Groth and Emil Dovifat Everth is one of the greatest german scientists for Journalism. With the Rise to power of the Nazis 1933 he was forced to retire and died soon after in sickness and bitterness.
Studies
Everth had remarkably many directions of interest. In 1898 he matriculated himself at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-UniversitätHumboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
and studied 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 law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. Later he changed to philosophy, art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. His most important teacher was Max Dessoir
Max Dessoir
Max Dessoir was a German philosopher and theorist of aesthetics.Dessoir was born in Berlin. He earned doctorates from the universities of Berlin and Würzburg...
, who was struggling with the concept of a new systematic Science of Art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
.
Everth received a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1909 at the philosophical department of the University of Leipzig by August Schmarsow and Johannes Volkelt.
Journalism
Everth then worked for different newspapers, such as the Rheinisch-Westfälische Zeitung or the Magdeburgische Zeitung.After the break-out of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Everth was a soldier at the eastern front at first, before he gained a role as consultant in the press office of Ober Ost
Ober Ost
Ober Ost is short for Oberbefehlshaber der gesamten Deutschen Streitkräfte im Osten, which is a German term meaning "Supreme Commander of All German Forces in the East" during World War I. In practice it refers not only to said commander, but also to his governing military staff and the district...
and found time for publications again. In 1915 Everth published the pamphlet Von der Seele der Soldaten im Felde (About the soul of the soldier afield), which rapidly became one of the most dispersed texts under the german soldiers. No less than 20000 brochures were printed in 4 editions
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
. In contrast to usual pamphlets full of chauvinism
Chauvinism
Chauvinism, in its original and primary meaning, is an exaggerated, bellicose patriotism and a belief in national superiority and glory. It is an eponym of a possibly fictional French soldier Nicolas Chauvin who was credited with many superhuman feats in the Napoleonic wars.By extension it has come...
and heroism, Everth characterized the active soldier as a normal human being with problems and individual worries. Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature...
appreciated in a review exactly this fine psychological sight of Erich Everth.
After the war Everth went through some editorial departments of different newspapers, as there are the Leipziger Volkszeitung, the Berliner „Telegraphen Union“, the Vossische Zeitung
Vossische Zeitung
The Vossische Zeitung was the well known liberal German newspaper that was published in Berlin . Its predecessor was founded in 1704...
, the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung was a German newspaper that appeared between 1861 and 1945. It was associated with the Stinnes family, and supported right wing nationalist politics in the Weimar period, arguably contributing to the rise of Nazism.Hugo Stinnes took over the DAZ in 1920 in an effort to...
or the liberal Berliner Tageblatt
Berliner Tageblatt
The Berliner Tageblatt or BT was a German language newspaper published in Berlin from 1872-1939. Along with the Frankfurter Zeitung, it became one of the most important liberal German newspapers of its time.-History:...
.
He published numerous articles on an extremely wide spectrum of matters. Along the way of his editorial work he wrote a lot of essays or shorter texts on occasion. They confirm, what the political angle of the different editorial office already suggested: Everth did change his political views from an monarchic-national point to an advocate of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
.
"Zeitungskunde": the first full professor
In November 1926, the 48 year-old art historian was appointed by Karl BücherKarl Bücher
Karl Wilhelm Bücher was an economist, one of the founders of non-market economics, and the founder of journalism as an academic discipline.- Early life :...
to be the first ordinary professor of the newly created chair for "Zeitungskunde" at the University of Leipzig. His concern was the methodological basement of the new academic discipline. Everth defined Zeitungskunde/Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
as a discipline of integration without a special method. In fact it is for him possible to use different methods from other disciplines in various combinations.
He restricted the object of "Zeitungskunde" to the newspaper, that means every printed periodical press.
This press meets in Everths opinion not only economic but equally social needs in public life. The press is more than just a usual earning company but at least in parts has its own spirit and is partially a piece of art itself.
Fight against Nazism
When the Nazis rose to power in 1933 all the newspapers of the Nazis celebrated in capital letters. But the national press was celebrating as well, the German media proprietorMedia proprietor
A media proprietor is a person who controls, either through personal ownership or a dominant position in any media enterprise. Those with significant control of a public company in the mass media may also be called "media moguls", "tycoons", "barons", or "bosses".The figure of the media proprietor...
Alfred Hugenberg
Alfred Hugenberg
Alfred Ernst Christian Alexander Hugenberg was an influential German businessman and politician. Hugenberg, a leading figure within nationalist politics in Germany for the first few decades of the twentieth century, became the country's leading media proprietor within the inter-war period...
himself was the leader of the DNVP
German National People's Party
The German National People's Party was a national conservative party in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the NSDAP it was the main nationalist party in Weimar Germany composed of nationalists, reactionary monarchists, völkisch, and antisemitic elements, and...
, a party that was supporting the Nazis.
In this concert of like-minded there were few who intoned other melodies. And even less, that know how these concertos can end. To those belonged Everth, „a man of the more inconvenient sort, who was concerned for the Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
at first – a concern that should cost him his career and honour and probably even his will to live“ (Arnulf Kutsch). The reclusive worker Everth now takes a firm stand and shows that he is not going to stay inside the ivory tower
Ivory Tower
The term Ivory Tower originates in the Biblical Song of Solomon , and was later used as an epithet for Mary.From the 19th century it has been used to designate a world or atmosphere where intellectuals engage in pursuits that are disconnected from the practical concerns of everyday life...
of Academic elitism
Academic elitism
Academic elitism is a charge sometimes levied at academic institutions and academics more broadly, arguing that academia or academics are prone to undeserved and/or pernicious elitism; the term "ivory tower" often carries with it an implicit critique of academic elitism...
due to the incidents.
The Congress „Das Freie Wort“(The Free Word)
On the very last, from liberal und lefts-democratic politicians organised public event in central Berlin, the congress „Das Freie Wort“ (The Free Word) on February 19th in 1933, Everth held a strong pleading in favor of the freedom of the press. He joined Alfred Kantorowicz in the opinion, that „there are times, when the free word has to be defended not only with words, but with deeds.“At this demonstration, where one could hear the call for freedom of thought
Freedom of thought
Freedom of thought is the freedom of an individual to hold or consider a fact, viewpoint, or thought, independent of others' viewpoints....
for a last time, between 1000 and 2000 democratic or at least anti-Nazi minded intellectuals participated, for instance Käthe Kollwitz
Käthe Kollwitz
Käthe Kollwitz was a German painter, printmaker, and sculptor whose work offered an eloquent and often searing account of the human condition in the first half of the 20th century...
, Max Brauer
Max Brauer
Max Julius Friedrich Brauer was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party and First Mayor of Hamburg....
, Willi Münzenberg
Willi Münzenberg
Willi Münzenberg was a communist political activist. Münzenberg was the first head of the Young Communist International in 1919-20 and established the famine-relief and propaganda organization Workers International Relief in 1921...
, Adolf Grimme, Ferdinand Tönnies
Ferdinand Tönnies
Ferdinand Tönnies was a German sociologist. He was a major contributor to sociological theory and field studies, best known for his distinction between two types of social groups, Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft...
and Heinrich Mann
Heinrich Mann
Luiz Heinrich Mann was a German novelist who wrote works with strong social themes. His attacks on the authoritarian and increasingly militaristic nature of pre-World War II German society led to his exile in 1933.-Life and work:Born in Lübeck as the oldest child of Thomas Johann Heinrich Mann...
. Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
composed a public appeal for attendance on February 6th.
Before normal termination the demonstration was ended by SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
violently. A few days later, on the other side of the plaza, the Reichstag
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany....
was ablaze and the hereupon enforced Reichstag Fire Decree
Reichstag Fire Decree
The Reichstag Fire Decree is the common name of the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State issued by German President Paul von Hindenburg in direct response to the Reichstag fire of 27 February 1933. The decree nullified many of the key civil liberties of German...
nullified many of the key civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
of German citizens.
Unsubstantiated dismissal
Political investigations against Everth were initiated then. A short period of time later he got a letter from the Saxon Ministry of Education, which stated that Everths attitude was "in no way compatible with the requirements that must be made to an academic teacher in the new state." On April 29th 1933 Everth was dismissed for supposedly "un-german" attitude. An explanatory statement that must have been especially devastating for the germanophileGermanophile
A Germanophile is a person who is fond of German culture, German people, and Germany in general, exhibiting as it were German nationalism in spite of not being an ethnic German or a German citizen. Its opposite is Germanophobia...
Everth. But he was the only one of the whole academic guild that had the courage to criticize the emergency regulations and the press policy of the Nazis.
Everths forced retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
followed by September 30th 1933, although the investigation had revealed no justiciable evidence against him.
Disease and end
At the time of the forced retirement Everth was already seriously ill. Further resistance was therefore impossible for him.Everth, who had drawn all his life to the events underlying spiritual connections, who always focused more on the whole as to the little detail, must have been suffering particularly hard under the ever growing National Socialist "movement" and her brown aesthetics.
The dignified psychological observation, and the interdisciplinary view were Everths concern and talent. From this grew its Weltanschauung as well as the basic idea of his scientific theory. His sense of order had nothing in common with the designers and heralds of a Third Reich.
While the Nazis distinguished themselves on the streets by rampaging hordes of SA and in communication policy by censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
and rushing propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, Everth fought to the last with all his might. But it remained existentially incomprehensible for him, who now directed the fate of the German nation, especially since he had no illusions about their future under Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
s rule. The cause of his illness and fast death are therefore definitely also to find in that social development of Germany. Everth himself noted this fact in one of his last letters.
When Erich Everth died on in Leipzig, the long List of Victims of National Socialism got another entry.
Tribute
Since 2003 Leipzig's Media Foundation awards a scholarship named after Everth that so far has been used within the Department of Communication and Media Studies at the University of LeipzigUniversity of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
.
Writings
- Männer der Zeit, Faber, Magdeburg 1915 (zuerst in der Magdeburgischen Zeitung, 1915)
- Von der Seele des Soldaten im Felde. Bemerkungen eines Kriegsteilnehmers, Diederichs, Jena 1915
- Das innere Deutschland nach dem Kriege, Diederichs, Jena 1916
- Conrad Ferdinand Meyer. Dichtung und Persönlichkeit, Sibyllen-Verlag, Dresden 1924
- Die Kunst der Erzählung, in: Zeitschrift für Ästhetik und allgemeine Kunstwissenschaft, Bd. IX, Enke, Stuttgart 1925
- Volkelts ästhetische Grundgestalten, Eduard Pfeiffer, Leipzig 1926
- Zeitungskunde und Universität. Antrittsvorlesung, gehalten am 20. November 1926, Gustav Fischer, Jena 1927
- Die Zeitung im Dienst der Öffentlichkeit. Eine begriffliche Grundlegung, in: Archiv für Buchgewerbe und Gebrauchsgraphik, 1928
- Das Studium der Zeitungskunde an der Universität Leipzig, A. Lorenz, Leipzig 1928 (2. Auflage 1933)
- Die Öffentlichkeit in der Außenpolitik von Karl V. bis Napoleon. Gustav Fischer, Jena 1931
Literature
- Stefanie Averbeck: Erich Everth: Theorie der Öffentlichkeit und Interessen. In: Großbothener Vorträge III. edition lumière, Bremen 2002
- Hans Bohrmann, Arnulf Kutsch: Pressegeschichte und Pressetheorie. Erich Everth 1878–1934. in: Publizistik 24 (1979), S. 386–403
- Erik Koenen: Ein „einsamer“ Wissenschaftler? Erich Everth und das Leipziger Institut für Zeitungskunde zwischen 1926 und 1933. Ein Beitrag zur Bedeutung des Biographischen für die Geschichte der Zeitungswissenschaft. In: Medien & Zeit, 20. Jg. 2005, Heft 1, S. 38–50
- Erik Koenen: Journalismus als soziale Form gedacht. Zum 70. Todestag von Erich Everth. In: Journal Universität Leipzig. Mitteilungen und Berichte für die Angehörigen und Freunde der Universität, Jg. 2004, Heft 4 (Juli), S. 28
- Roland Lambrecht: Politische Entlassungen der NS-Zeit. Leipzig, Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2006. ISBN 3374023975
- Arnulf Kutsch: Von der unbequemen Sorte. In: message 2/2002
- Sylvia Werther, Thomas Lietz, Erik Koenen: Das Aus für das freie Wort. Die nationalsozialistische „Machtergreifung“ im Institut für Zeitungskunde. In: Journal Universität Leipzig. Mitteilungen und Berichte für die Angehörigen und Freunde der Universität Leipzig, Jg. 2003, Heft 7 (Dezember), S. 37–38
Weblinks
- http://www.exil-archiv.de/html/biografien/everth.htm
- http://www.leipziger-medienstiftung.de/2006/11/13/everth-stipendium/
- Essay über den Medienstandort Leipzig