August Hermann Niemeyer
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

August Hermann Niemeyer (1 September 1754 in
Halle (Saale) Halle (Saale), or simply Halle (), is the second largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is the sixth-most populous city in the area of former East Germany after (East Berlin, East) Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Chem ...
– 7 July 1828 in
Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...
) was a German Protestant
theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...
, teacher, a
librettist A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...
, a
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
, a
travel writer The genre of travel literature or travelogue encompasses outdoor literature, guide books, nature writing, and travel memoirs. History Early examples of travel literature include the '' Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' (generally considered ...
, a
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
church song poet and a Prussian political educator. He was professor of theology in 1780, then vice-chancellor of the
University of Halle-Wittenberg Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (), also referred to as MLU, is a public research university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg. It is the largest and oldest university in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. MLU offers German and i ...
. He studied at the University of Halle, where his teachers included Johann August Nösselt (1734-1807),
Johann Jakob Griesbach Johann Jakob Griesbach (4 January 1745 – 24 March 1812) was a German biblical textual critic. Griesbach's fame rests upon his work in New Testament criticism, in which he inaugurated a new epoch. His solution to the synoptic problem bears his nam ...
(1745-1812) and
Johann Salomo Semler Johann Salomo Semler (18 December 1725 – 14 March 1791) was a German church historian, biblical commentator, and critic of ecclesiastical documents and of the history of dogmas. He is sometimes known as "the father of German rationalism". Youth ...
(1725-1791). In 1775 he published a highly regarded work, titled ''Charakteristik der Bibel'' (Characteristics of the
Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
). In 1778 he met with
Johann von Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...
, with whom he established a friendship that lasted until Niemeyer's death in 1828. Around 1802, Niemeyer translated
Terence Publius Terentius Afer (; – ), better known in English as Terence (), was a playwright during the Roman Republic. He was the author of six Roman comedy, comedies based on Greek comedy, Greek originals by Menander or Apollodorus of Carystus. A ...
’s ''
Andria Andria (; Barese: ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Apulia region of Southern Italy. It is an agricultural and service center, producing wine, olives and almonds. It is the fourth-largest municipality in the Apulia region (behind ...
'' for Goethe under the title ''Die Fremde aus Andros''. Soon afterwards the play was performed by the Weimar theatre. In 1807, after Halle fell to French forces, Napoleon ordered the closure of the university, with Niemeyer being deported to
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. During this time, the city of Halle was incorporated into the
Kingdom of Westphalia The Kingdom of Westphalia was a client state of First French Empire, France in present-day Germany that existed from 1807 to 1813. While formally independent, it was ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte. It was named after Westphalia, ...
. On 1 January 1808,
Jérôme Bonaparte Jérôme Bonaparte (born Girolamo Buonaparte; 15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon, Napoleon I and reigned as Jerome Napoleon I (formally Hieronymus Napoleon in German), Kingdom of Westphalia, King of Westphal ...
re-opened the University of Halle and appointed Niemeyer chancellor. Among Niemeyer's 125 known publications is ''Grundsätze der Erziehung und des Unterrichts für Eltern, Hauslehrer und Erzieher'' (Principles of education and teaching for parents, tutors and schoolteachers), being published over numerous editions and translated into several languages.August Hermann Niemeyer (1754-1828)
by Gilbert de Landsheere


References


Further reading

*August Jacobs, Johann Gottfried Gruber: ''August Hermann Niemeyer: Zur Erinnerung an dessen Leben und Wirken.'' 1831, S. 408.


External links


August Hermann Niemeyer (1754-1828)
by Gilbert de Landsheere * {{DEFAULTSORT:Niemeyer, August Hermann 1754 births 1828 deaths Academic staff of the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg German poets 18th-century German Protestant theologians German male non-fiction writers Writers from Halle (Saale) German male poets 18th-century German male writers Heads of universities in Germany