Johann Georg Keyßler (or Keyssler when the letter
ß is avoided; 1693–1743) was a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
polymath
A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...
, known for his
travel writing
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 ...
s and his
archaeology
Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
. He is regarded as the father of German
protohistory
Protohistory is the period between prehistory and written history, during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures that have developed writing have noted the existence of those pre-literate groups in the ...
.
Born in
Thurnau, Keyßler first studied at
Halle. Upon returning to Thurnau he entered the service of the
Giech counts as a steward. He later moved to
Lauenburg
Lauenburg (), or Lauenburg an der Elbe (; ), is a town in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the northern bank of the river Elbe, east of Hamburg. It is overall the southernmost town of Schleswig-Holstein and belongs to ...
to serve the counts of
Bernstorff. As tutor to the sons and grandsons of the counts, he made numerous
field trips
A field trip or excursion is a journey by a group of associated peers, such as coworkers or school students, to a place away from their normal environment for the purpose of education or leisure, either within their country or abroad.
When ar ...
to the neighboring states of Germany, including England in 1718, where he was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...
.
[ ]
His travelogues—composed as a series of letters—are an important source for geographical features and cultural monuments of his day. They were severely censored because of their discussion of political and economic conditions in the German states. ''Neueste Reisen durch Deutschland, Böhmen, Ungarn, die Schweiz, Italien und Lothringen'' was first published in German in 1740–41. An English translation, ''Travels through Germany, Bohemia, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy and Lorraine'' was first published in 1756.
Keyßler died at Gut Stintenburg, now
Zarrentin am Schaalsee
Zarrentin am Schaalsee, until 2004 simply Zarrentin, is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the Schaalsee lake, 19 km southeast of Ratzeburg, and 34 km west of Sch ...
.
Notes
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keyssler, Johann Georg
1693 births
1743 deaths
18th-century German scholars
German travel writers
Fellows of the Royal Society