Christian Gottlieb von Arndt

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christian Gottlieb von Arndt (born December 2, 1743 in Groß Schwansfeld , East Prussia , † January 2, 1829 in Heidelberg ) was a German historian and philologist.

Groß Schwansfeld Castle around 1860, Alexander Duncker collection

Arndt was the son of an East Prussian preacher. He studied law and theology at the Albertina in Königsberg . In 1764 he broke off his studies without a degree and accompanied the Courland ambassador to the court of the Polish King John II Casimir in Warsaw .

In 1765 he was entrusted with a diplomatic mission to Mitau ( Duchy of Courland and Semgallia ) and in 1768 he was on an official assignment to the court in St. Petersburg . From there he entered the service of Tsarina Catherine the Great in 1772 and was entrusted by her with the management of the postal service.

A short time later, Arndt was given the title of "captain" by the tsarina and raised to the nobility . She also entrusted him with the post of imperial translator at the imperial colleges . With official permission, Arndt was able to found the German-language newspaper St. Petersburger Journal in St. Petersburg in 1776 . As the responsible editor, Arndt published many articles there on the history and literature of the Tsarist Empire.

When, after the death of Tsarina Katharina II, her successor, Tsar Paul I , had the administration of the state restructured, Arndt returned to Germany and settled in Heidelberg .

reception

Arndt wrote several works mostly of legal or historical content. In addition to his articles in his “St. Petersburger Journal ”he also published in several Russian-language magazines and newspapers. He often used the pseudonym "Ai".

Works (selection)

as an author
  • About the origin and the various relationships of the European language . Brönner, Frankfurt / M. 1827.
  • From the nobility . Steffenhagen Verlag, Mitau 1796.
as translator
  • Alexander Sumarakow : The first and most important uprising of the Strelitzen in Moscow in 1682 in the month of May . Hartknoch, Riga 1772.

literature

  • Walther Killy (term): German biographical encyclopedia . Saur, Munich 1990.
personal data
SURNAME Arndt, Christian Gottlieb from
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German historian and philologist
DATE OF BIRTH December 2, 1743
PLACE OF BIRTH Grooß Schwansfeld , East Prussia
DATE OF DEATH January 2, 1829
Place of death Heidelberg