Ernst Wilhelm Bernhard Eiselen (born

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

, 27 September 1792; died Misdroy, 22 August 1846) was a German

gymnast Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sh ...

and a promoter of the

Jahn Jahn (Jähn) is a German surname. Notable people with this surname include the following: * Jahn Coleman (born 1993), English builder specialising in driveways * Constanze Jahn (born 1963), German chess player * David Jahn (born 1975), Czech bu ...

style of

gymnastics Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring Balance (ability), balance, Strength training, strength, Flexibility (anatomy), flexibility, agility, Motor coordination, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movem ...

Biography

Arsenical poisoning in his youth had permanently impaired Eiselen's health. His early studies began in

, and he was one of the earliest and most capable pupils of the gymnast Jahn. He soon became prominent among the young gymnasts of Berlin. During the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition () (December 1812 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation (), a coalition of Austrian Empire, Austria, Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia, Russian Empire, Russia, History of Spain (1808– ...

(1812-1815), he went with Jahn to Breslau to join the

Lützow Free Corps Lützow Free Corps ( ) was a volunteer force of the Prussian army during the Napoleonic Wars. It was named after its commander, Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow. The Corpsmen were also widely known as the “''Lützower Jäger''“ or “''Schwa ...

, however his ill-health disqualified him for military duty, and he was persuaded to stay behind and direct exercise at Jahn's Hasenheide exercise field (). When the Hasenheide ''Turnplatz'' was closed in the spring of 1819, Eiselen became a teacher of gymnastics in the Plamann school for boys. He had also learned some mathematics, enough to teach geometry as well. Among his pupils at the school was

Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...

. In April 1825, Eiselen rented quarters and opened a school in Berlin that taught foil and saber fencing and vaulting to students from the

University of Berlin The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...

. Two years later, he received permission to open a private

gym A gym, short for gymnasium (: gymnasiums or gymnasia), is an indoor venue for exercise and sports. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasion". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learn ...

that offered instruction in gymnastics. In May 1828, he opened a gym with indoor and outdoor equipment and had a vast number of pupils. He added courses for teachers in 1831, and the first gymnasium for young girls was instituted by him in 1832. By 1836, the number of pupils had increased to the extent that he opened another gym in another part of the city. It was managed and later directed by Wilhelm Lübeck. He established the terms still used in German fencing.

Works

He published many works on gymnastics and fencing, including: *''Deutsche Turnkunst'' (in collaboration with Jahn and others, 1816) Eiselen undertook the technical portions, with the help of Massmann, Dürre and others. Jahn wrote the remainder, decided in doubtful cases, and revised the whole. *''Hantelübungen'' (3d ed. 1883) *''Abbildungen von Turnübungen'' (Exercise illustrated; 5th ed. 1889) *''Das deutsche Hiebfechten'' (new ed. 1882) *''Abriss des deutschen Stossfechtens'' (1826) *''Turntafeln'' (1837)

Notes

References

* * ;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Eiselen, Ernst 1792 births 1846 deaths German gymnasts German male fencers German schoolteachers Gymnasts from Berlin Educators from the Kingdom of Prussia 19th-century German educators