Christian Chalice

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Christian Kelch (born December 5, 1657 in Greifenhagen , † December 2, 1710 in Reval ) was a Baltic German pastor and chronicler .

Early years

Christian Kelch was born as the son of clergyman Gottfried Kelch and Elisabeth Brauer in Greifenhagen in Swedish Pomerania . He attended the council school in Stettin from 1668 to 1675 . Shortly after the outbreak of the Swedish-Brandenburg War , he moved to the Joachimsthal High School in Berlin .

From 1678 Christian Kelch studied mainly history at the University of Frankfurt (Oder) . In 1679 he went to the University of Rostock , where he lectured in theology , among others with August Varenius (1620–1684) and Michael Cobabus (1610–1686).

pastor

Due to financial difficulties, Kelch had to drop out of his studies. In May 1680 he moved to the then Swedish Livonia and Estonia to seek a livelihood there. For two years he worked for the pastor of Oberpahlen , A. Forselius, and for Reiner Brockmann jun., Who held the pastor's position in Lais . There he also learned Estonian very well . Like his role model Reiner Brockmann sen. (1609–1647), Kelch advocated using the Estonian language as much as possible in church work and improving the level of education of the rural population.

In 1682 Christian Kelch became pastor of St. Johannis . There he founded one of the first public schools for the rural population. During the hunger and plague epidemic at the end of the 17th century, he devoted himself to charitable activities. In 1697 he was appointed pastor of St. Jakobi (today the Vinni parish ). He vehemently criticized the poor treatment of the Livonian and Estonian rural population by the ruling Baltic German upper class.

With the outbreak of the Great Northern War (1700–1721), his community was ravaged by the fighting. Kelch is said to have fearedly stood up against the Russian soldiers for the fate of the rural population in the chaos of war. In 1706 Kelch was appointed provost .

In 1710 Christian Kelch was offered the position of senior pastor at the renowned Nikolaikirche in Reval. Before he could begin his new job, he died of the plague in Reval in December of the same year . His burial is said to have taken place at the foot of the chalice linden tree on the south side of the Nikolaikirche.

family

Christian Kelch was married twice. First marriage in 1683 with Sophie Helene Ludwig, related. Raupitzer, († 1695) and in second marriage in 1696 with Euphrosina Coster from Haggers .

Liefland Historia

Between 1688 and 1691 Christian Kelch wrote his main historical work, the Liefländische Historia . It was printed in 1695 by Johann Mehner in Reval. In it he describes the history of Estonia , Livonia and Latvia from the earliest times to 1690. His sequel, the Continuation , which only appeared in printed form in 1875, is particularly significant . Especially the years of the great famine from 1695 to 1698 and the first years of the Great Northern War are impressively portrayed by Kelch as contemporary witnesses.

Works

  • Liefländische Historia, or Kurtze description of the most memorable war and peace history of Esth, Lief and Latvia; Primarily including a brief report of the names, deconsolidation and condition of the Liefland province, ... partly from foreign and foreign historians, ... compiled and compiled in five books, by Christiano Kelchen, pastor of St. Johannis in Jerwen. Published by Johann Mehner, bookseller in Revall, in 1695. (printed in Rudolphstadt by Heinrich Urban), UB Tartu
  • Liefland Historia. Continuation 1690 to 1707. Given for printing based on the original manuscript. Provided with foreword, evidence and register of persons by Johannes Lossius. Dorpat: Schnakenburg's lithograph and typograph. Institution, 1875

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Entry by Christian Kelch in the Rostock matriculation portal
personal data
SURNAME Chalice, Christian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Chalice, Christian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German-Baltic pastor and chronicler
DATE OF BIRTH December 5, 1657
PLACE OF BIRTH Greifenhagen
DATE OF DEATH December 2, 1710
Place of death Reval