Wilhelm Christian Oettel

Wilhelm Christian Oettel (born July 16, 1744 in Pößneck , † February 2, 1829 in Saalfeld ) was a German Protestant clergyman and educator.

Life

Wilhelm Christian Oettel was born as the third son of Christian Friedrich Oettelt, cantor and second teacher at the Pößneck city school and his wife Christiane Philippine, daughter of Pastor Schmidt in Catharinau near Rudolstadt . He had ten other siblings. In 1780 he changed his family name from Oettelt to Oettel, later his brothers followed him.

He attended the city school in Pößneck, but was then unable to attend the community school to prepare for the lyceum because this was only possible through private lessons that his parents could not pay. Together with another student at the city school, later pastor Johannes Michael Bernhard (1744–1796) in Jutroschin in South Prussia, they learned the Greek gospel of Matthew and a Latin lexicon by heart in their own study .

With this knowledge he came to the Lyceum in Saalfeld at the age of 15 in 1759. In order to be able to make a living there, he sang in a choir. After a five-year stay in Saalfeld, he began studying theology at the University of Leipzig in 1764 , where he attended the lectures of Johann August Ernesti , Christian August Crusius and Christian Fürchtegott Gellert . In order to earn a living he gave private lessons in Leipzig . Every effort to get a scholarship from his hometown or from the country was in vain because too many students came before him. He also received financial support from his friends and Strasser Johann Christian Wagner (1747-1824), who later became a privy councilor and Regierungsrat in Hildburghausen .

Acquaintance with other students gave him the opportunity to give private lessons to two sons of the von Hardenberg family from Hanover. Later, on the recommendation of a friend, who was meanwhile vice-principal of a school in Saalfeld, he succeeded in obtaining a private tutor position in the family of the art and builder Dähne and the businessman Falk in Leipzig. Christian Friedrich von Matthäi was one of his closest friends during this time .

In 1768 he was, having qualified, a candidate in Saalfeld and in 1771 received his doctorate he became a doctor of philosophy.

On November 24, 1772, he became vice rector at the Lyceum in Saalfeld and after the transfer of rector Maurer he was appointed his successor on May 26, 1775. During this time he supported older clergymen by giving sermons in the Johanneskirche in Saalfeld and in the neighboring village churches.

On November 2, 1788 he was hired as early and auxiliary preacher to superintendent Georg Leopold Fabel (1715–1791) and on October 4, 1794 he was appointed court deacon without salary in Saalfeld.

After the death of superintendent Johann Friedrich Bernhardt (1733–1795) he was surprisingly appointed superintendent, court preacher and pastor in Saalfeld in 1795 and was introduced to this position on August 30, 1795 by general superintendent Gotthilf Friedemann Löber (1722–1799) from Altenburg .

He celebrated his service anniversary on November 24, 1822, when the first judicial officer at the time presented Hofrat Friedrich Ernst Carl Mereau with the patent as a ducal-Saxon church councilor . The theological faculty of the University of Jena sent him the honorary diploma as doctor of theology.

Wilhelm Christian Oettel married the third daughter of superintendent Fabel from Saalfeld on July 10, 1781 and was married for 31 years. The marriage resulted in two daughters and a son;

• Wilhelm Oettel, who later became archdeacon in the church of Wilhelm Christian Oettel;
• Friederike Oettel, married to the judiciary Christian Georg Wagner ;
• Ernestine Henriette Oettel (* 1800 in Saalfeld; † unknown), married to the businessman Christoph Paul Herold (1785–1860).

Fonts (selection)

• Matthäi, Christian Friedrich von; Oettel, Wilhelm Christian: De Aeschine Oratore . Lipsiae, Ex Officina Langenhemia 1770.
• Commentatio de Judaeis, impolsore Chresto, assidue turnultuantibus . Salfeldiae, 1779.
• Commentatio de consilio Quinctiliani, a poetis inprimis Homero et Virgilio lectionem iuvenilem esse incipiendam . Saalfeldia: Wiedemann, 1782.
• Solemnitati Lustrationis Scholasticae AD XXIII. April. MDCCLXXXII. Celebrandae Et Oratiunculis Sex Scholasticis Postero Die Recitandis Praemittit Commentationem De Consilio Quinctiliani, A Poetis Inprimis Homero Et Virgilio Lectionem Iuvenilem Esse Incipiendam. Institutt. Orat. LIC 13 . Saalfeldiae, Typis Wiedemannianis 1782.
• Ad Examen Publicum In Schola Salfeldiensi AD XIX. April. MDCCLXXXV. Instituendum Et Orativnculas Septem Scholasticas Postero Die Recitandas Antistites Patronos Litterarumque Fautores Humanissime Invitat Et Memoriam Schneieri, Rectoris . Salfeldiae: Wiedemann, 1785.
• Exemplum narratiuneulae Xenophonteae ad disciplinam recti justique eleganter compositae ex Cyropaed . Saalfeldiae, 1790.
• Commentatio historico-Philosophico qua M. Guilielmo Christiano Oettelio undecimum hodie muneris ephoralis annum celebrant De consuetudine veterum heroum, aliorumque illustrium virorum, mortem voluntariam sibi conciscendi, cum ab omni humanitate, tum ab omnibus verae philosophiae legibus aliena . Lipsiae, 1806.
• From His Reverence to Mr. M. Wilhelm Christian Oettel on his fifty-year jubilee celebration on November 24th, 1822: a congratulations in grateful admiration offered by all rural school teachers of the Saalfeld Inspection . Rudolstadt: Froebel, 1822.
• Heaven bestows happiness, salvation and blessings on the revered and highly learned Mr. M. Wilhelm Christian Oettel, Herzogl. Saxon. Coburg-Saalfeld court preacher. [Saalfeld]: Wiedemann, 1822.
• For our beloved Father at His joyful celebration of His children. Congratulatory poem for Wilhelm Christian Oettel's 50th birthday . (Saalfeld: Wiedemann), 1822.

Individual evidence

1. ^ New Nekrolog der Deutschen, 7th year, 1829, 1st part, pp. 149–157 . Voigt, 1831 ( limited preview in Google book search).
2. ↑ Herzogl-Sachsen-Coburgisches government and intelligence gazette: 1829, p. 154 . Dietz, 1829 ( limited preview in Google book search).
3. ↑ GEDBAS: Christoph Paul HEROLD. Retrieved March 6, 2018 .