Joachim Werner (archaeologist)
Encyclopedia
Joachim Werner was a German archaeologist who was especially concerned with the archaeology of the Early Middle Ages
in Germany. The majority of German professorships with particular focus on the field of the Early Middle Ages were in the second half of the 20th century (and also partly in the generation following that) occupied by his academic pupils.
, and in 1928 began his specialist study of Prehistory
and Early History, Classical Archaeology
and both ancient and middle History. Among his teachers were (amongst others) Max Ebert and Wilhelm Unverzagt in Berlin, Oswald Menghin
in Vienna
and Gero von Merhart
in Marburg
. In Marburg he obtained his doctorate on 7 December 1932 with a dissertation on Coin-dated grave finds from Austrasia
, which under the guidance of Hans Zeiss undertook the project to develop an absolute chronology of the Merovingian period based upon graves which contained (datable) coins. Although it has often had to be revised since then, this work was nevertheless a milestone in the knowledge of the Early Middle Ages.
After the Machtergreifung
(Takeover of Power) of the National Socialists in 1933 he joined the Nazi Party and the Sturmabteilung
.
The following appointments or occupations may be listed in brief:
His scientific interests included the pre-Roman Iron Age
and Germanic ethnic origins, late antique fortresses, Merovingian-age cemeteries and richly-furnished graves, the errant knights (?literally, nomadic horsemen) of the Early Middle Ages and the art of the Carolingian
era. To these he added further similar researches into wealthy graves in South Korea
.
From Munich he was able to lead countless excavation projects, above all in Late Roman fortifications:
Additional excavation projects took place in Austria, Italy and Slovenia: Kuchl, Invillino in Friaul, Hrusica und Vranje. The Organizational structure for these excavations was mainly the Commission for archaeological research into late Roman Rhaetia, founded by Werner, at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.
In the publication of the Cemetery of Mindelheim
Werner worked up a chronological typology of belt-buckles, which was later modified by his pupil Rainer Christlein with reference to the cemetery of Marktoberdorf
(Market Oberdorf). This remains even now an essential foundation for the chronology of the Merovingian age.
Werner supervised the doctorates of 33 students (including Bernhard Overbeck, Hans-Jörg Kellner and Hayo Vierck
) and the inauguration as lecturers of seven colleagues, namely Vladimir Milojčić, Georg Kossack, Hermann Müller-Karpe, Günter Ulbert, Walter Torbrügge, H. Schubart und Volker Bierbrauer.
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
in Germany. The majority of German professorships with particular focus on the field of the Early Middle Ages were in the second half of the 20th century (and also partly in the generation following that) occupied by his academic pupils.
Life
Werner completed his school finishing examinations at the French High-School in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and in 1928 began his specialist study of Prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
and Early History, Classical Archaeology
Classical archaeology
Classical archaeology is the archaeological investigation of the great Mediterranean civilizations of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Nineteenth century archaeologists such as Heinrich Schliemann were drawn to study the societies they had read about in Latin and Greek texts...
and both ancient and middle History. Among his teachers were (amongst others) Max Ebert and Wilhelm Unverzagt in Berlin, Oswald Menghin
Oswald Menghin
Oswald Menghin was an Austrian Prehistorian and University professor. He established an international reputation before the War, while he was professor at the University of Vienna. His work on race and culture was serviceable to the German nationalist movement of the 1930s...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and Gero von Merhart
Gero von Merhart
Gero von Merhart was a German archaeologist. Although he worked at the same time when German nationalism and Nazi archaeology was dominant in Germany, he was not a "Nazi archaeologist". He came into conflict with Hans Reinerth. :de:Gero von Merhart...
in Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
. In Marburg he obtained his doctorate on 7 December 1932 with a dissertation on Coin-dated grave finds from Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
, which under the guidance of Hans Zeiss undertook the project to develop an absolute chronology of the Merovingian period based upon graves which contained (datable) coins. Although it has often had to be revised since then, this work was nevertheless a milestone in the knowledge of the Early Middle Ages.
After the Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
(Takeover of Power) of the National Socialists in 1933 he joined the Nazi Party and the Sturmabteilung
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...
.
The following appointments or occupations may be listed in brief:
- 1933/34 Travelling Scholarship with the German Archaeological InstituteGerman Archaeological InstituteThe German Archaeological Institute is an institution of research within the field of archaeology , and a "scientific corporation", with parentage of the federal Foreign Office of Germany-Origin:...
. - 1935-1942 Roman-Germanic Commission of the German Archaeological Institute (Participant in the Sadovec excavations).
- 1938 Inauguration as an academic lecturer at the University of Frankfurt, with The Ornamented Discs from the Thorsberg Peat-bog Discovery. A Contribution to the History of Early Germanic Art and Religion, under Hans Zeiss.
- 1939-45 various calls-up to the WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. - 1942 Professor for Prehistory and Early History at the StraßburgStrasburg-Places:*Strasbourg, a city in Alsace *Straßburg, Austria, in Carinthia*Strasburg, Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania*the former name of Brodnica, became Polish after World War I*Strassburg, the German name for Aiud, Alba...
Reichs-University. - 1945 Military internment in Switzerland, while completing his work on the Alamannic cemetery at BülachBülachBülach is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Zurich, located in the district of the same name, and belongs to the Glatt Valley .-History:Bülach is first mentioned in 811 as Pulacha...
. - 1946-47 Deputizing in the academic chair at Munich in the absence of Hans Zeiss.
- 1948-1974 Professor at the University of Munich.
- 1953 Election to formal membership of the Historical Philosophy Class of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.
- 1990 He received the title of Honorary Doctorate of the Jagiellonian UniversityJagiellonian UniversityThe Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
in Cracow, Poland.
His scientific interests included the pre-Roman Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and Germanic ethnic origins, late antique fortresses, Merovingian-age cemeteries and richly-furnished graves, the errant knights (?literally, nomadic horsemen) of the Early Middle Ages and the art of the Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
era. To these he added further similar researches into wealthy graves in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
From Munich he was able to lead countless excavation projects, above all in Late Roman fortifications:
- Epfach, 1953–57
- Goldberg bei TürkheimTürkheimTürkheim is a municipality in the district of Unterallgäu in Bavaria, Germany. The neighboring places of Türkheim are Ettringen, Berg, Rammingen, Irsingen, Wiedergeltingen and Amberg. The administrative collectivity of Türkheim administrate Türkheim and Irsingen....
, 1958–61 - Kastell Isny, 1966–70
- Münsterberg Breisach
- Kastell Sponeck bei Jechtingen
- KellmünzKellmünzKellmünz is a municipality in the district of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria in Germany.- Geographic location :Kellmünz is located in Upper Swabia at the river Iller, approximately 30 km south of Ulm and 15 km north of Memmingen....
1986-1993
Additional excavation projects took place in Austria, Italy and Slovenia: Kuchl, Invillino in Friaul, Hrusica und Vranje. The Organizational structure for these excavations was mainly the Commission for archaeological research into late Roman Rhaetia, founded by Werner, at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.
In the publication of the Cemetery of Mindelheim
Mindelheim
Mindelheim is a town in the German Bundesland of Bavaria. The town is the capital of the Unterallgäu district. At various points in history it was the chief settlement of an eponymous state.- Geography :...
Werner worked up a chronological typology of belt-buckles, which was later modified by his pupil Rainer Christlein with reference to the cemetery of Marktoberdorf
Marktoberdorf
Marktoberdorf is the capital of the Bavarian district of Ostallgäu in the Regierungsbezirk of Swabia.Marktoberdorf is near Kempten, Füssen, known for the castle Neuschwanstein, Bad Wörishofen, and Schongau. The nearest larger city is Kaufbeuren, eleven kilometers away.Marktoberdorf plays host to a...
(Market Oberdorf). This remains even now an essential foundation for the chronology of the Merovingian age.
Werner supervised the doctorates of 33 students (including Bernhard Overbeck, Hans-Jörg Kellner and Hayo Vierck
Hayo Vierck
Hayo Vierck was a German archaeologist, who made a distinguished contribution to German Early Medieval archaeology through research in the industrial arts.-Career:...
) and the inauguration as lecturers of seven colleagues, namely Vladimir Milojčić, Georg Kossack, Hermann Müller-Karpe, Günter Ulbert, Walter Torbrügge, H. Schubart und Volker Bierbrauer.
Publications (Selected)
- Münzdatierte Austrasische Grabfunde (Coin-Dated Austrasian Grave-Finds): Germanische Denkmaler Völkerwanderungszeit 3 (Berlin, Leipzig 1935)
- 'Die Bedeutung des Städtewesens für die Kulturentwicklung des frühen Keltentums', Die Welt als Geschichte 5, 1939, pp. 380–390.
- 'Das alamannische Fürstengrab von Wittislingen', Münchner Beitrage für Vor- und Frühgeschichte 2 (Munich 1940)
- Der Fund von Ittenheim. Ein alamannisches Fürstengrab des 7. Jahrhunderts im Elsass (Strassburg 1943)
- 'Zur Herkunft der frühmittelalterlichen Spangenhelme', Praehistorische Zeitschrift 34-35, 1949–50, pp. 178–193.
- 'Zur Entstehung der Reihengräberzivilisation. Ein Beitrag zur Methode der frühgeschichtlichen Archäologie', Archaeologia 1, 1950, pp. 23–32.
- with S. Fuchs, Langobardische Fibeln aus Italien (Berlin 1950)
- Das alamannische Gräberfeld von Bülach. Monographs in Ur- und Frühgeschichte Schweiz (Basel 1953).
- Waage und Geld in der Merowingerzeit, Sitzungsbereich of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences (München 1954).
- Das alamannische Gräberfeld von Mindelheim, Materialheft Bayerischer Vorgeschichte 6 (Kallmünz/Opf. 1955).
- Beiträge zur Archäologie des Attila-Reiches, Abhandlung Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Philosophische-Historische Klasse 38A (München 1956).
- 'Frühkarolingische Silber-ohrringe von Rastede (Oldenburg): Beiträge zur Tierornamentik des Thassilokelches und verwandter Denkmäler', Germania 37, 1959, pp. 179–192.
- 'Fernhandel und Naturalwirtschaft im östlichen Merowingerreich nach archäologischen und numismatischen Zeugnissen', (Berichte der RGK 42, 1961), pp. 307–346.
- 'Herkuleskeulen und Donar-Amulett', Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz 11, 1964, pp. 176 ff.
- 'Zu den alamannischen Burgen des 4. und 5. Jahrhunderts', Speculum Historiale. Festschrift for J. Spörl (Freiburg/Br., München 1965), pp. 439–453.
- 'Die kaiserzeitliche Siedlung Nauen-Bärhorst und das Problem der frühmittelalterlichen Dörfer', in Zur Geschichte und Volkskunde Mitteldeutschlands: Festschrift for F.v.Zahn (1968), pp. 347–352.
- 'Bemerkungen zur mitteldeutschen Skelettgräbergruppe Haßleben-Leuna', in H. Beumann (Ed.), Historische Forschungen für Walter Schlesinger (Köln, Wien 1974), p. 1 ff.
- 'Archäologische Bemerkungen zu den dendrochronologischen Befunden von Oberflacht', Fundberichte aus Baden-Württemberg 1 (1974), pp. 650–657.
- 'Die Ausgrabungen in St. Ulrich und Afra in Augsburg 1961-1968', Münchner Beitrage Vor- uund Frühgeschichte 28 (München 1977).
- Spätes Keltentum zwischen Rom und Germanien (München 1979).
- 'Der goldene Armring des Frankenkönigs Childerich', Frühmittelalterliche Studien 14, 1980, 1-49.
- 'Die Schwerter von Imola, Herbrechtingen und Endrebacke' (Studien zu mitteleuropäischen und skandinavischen Metallarbeiten aus der ersten Hälfte des 7. Jahrhunderts). Acta Archaeologica (København) 64, 1993, pp. 183–292.
Sources
- Georg Kossack and Günter Ulbert, Studien zur vor- und frühgeschichtlichen Archäologie. Festschrift für Joachim Werner zum 65. Geburtstag (München 1974) (Münchner Beiträge zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte, Ergänzungsband, 1) ISBN 3-406-00344-3
- Mario Brozzi, 'Joachim Werner (1909–1994)' in Mem. Stor. Forogiuliesi 73 (1993), p. 349.
- Volker Bierbrauer, 'Joachim Werner. 23.12.1909 - 9.1.1994', Bayerische Vorgeschichtsblätter 59 (1994), p. 11-17.
- Volker Bierbrauer, 'Joachim Werner, 23.12.1909 - 9.1.1994', Byzantinische Zeitschrift 86/87 (1993/94) pp. 665–669.
- Slavko Ciglenečki, 'Joachim Werner (1909–1994)', Arh. Vestnik 45 (1994), pp. 267–268.
- Gerhard Fingerlin, 'Joachim Werner, 1909-1994', Fundberichte aus Baden-Württemberg 19,1 (1994), pp. 797–800.
- Kazimierz Godłowski, 'Joachim Werner (1909–1994)', Wiadomości Arch. 53,2 (1993/94), pp. 137–138.
- Titus Kolník, 'Joachim Werner (1909–1994)', Slovenská Arch. 42,1 (1994) 221-224.
- Georg Kossack, 'Joachim Werner. 23.12.1909 - 9.1.1994', Jahrbuch der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 1994, pp. 234–245.
- M. B. Ščukin, 'Pamjati Iochima Vernera. (Obryvki vospominanij.) Zum Andenken an Joachim Werner', Peterburgskij Arch. Vestnik 8 (1994), pp. 4–11
- Elmar Vonbank, 'Univ.-Prof. Dr. Joachim Werner (23.12.1909 - 9.1.1994)', Jahrbuch des Vorarlberger Landesmuseumsvereines 138 (1994), pp. 55–59.
- Radu Harhoiu, 'Joachim Werner (23.12.1909 - 9.1.1994)', Dacia N. S. 38/39 (1994/95), pp. 489–491.
- Ion Ioniţa, 'Joachim Werner. 1909-1994' Arh. Moldovei 18 (1995), pp. 357–359.
- Gisela Ripoll López, 'Joachim Werner (Berlin 1909-Munich 1994)', Antiquité Tardive 3 (1995), pp. 10–14.
- Kazimierz Godłowski, 'Joachim Werner', Kultura przeworska 3 (1997), 9-15.
- Hubert Fehr, 'Hans Zeiss, Joachim Werner und die archäologischen Forschungen zur Merwingerzeit', in Heiko Steuer (Ed.): Eine hervorragend nationale Wissenschaft (Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde), Vol. 29 (Berlin 2001), p. 311-415.