Friedrich Christian Kries

Friedrich Christian Kries (often also Friedrich Kries ; born October 18, 1768 in Thorn , † May 29, 1849 in Gotha ) was a German classical philologist , mathematician and physicist .

Life

Kries' father Johann Albin was born in Gotha and was the rector of the Thorner Gymnasium . Kries attended this school accordingly. In spring 1786 he went to the University of Leipzig , where he mainly studied theology and philology, but also devoted himself to philosophy and mathematics. One year later he moved to the University of Göttingen . There the study of ancient languages ​​was in the foreground, in addition he dealt with philosophy, mathematics and natural history. In Göttingen he was particularly influenced by Christian Gottlob Heyne , to whose philological seminar he belonged, and by the physicist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg . It was probably during this time that his doctorate took place .

On November 2, 1789, Kries accepted the position as a collaborator at the Illustrious Gymnasium in Gotha, as recommended by Heyne and Lichtenberg . This school had an excellent reputation in Germany at the time, and he quickly found friends in the general superintendent Josias Friedrich Löffler , the professor at his school Friedrich Jacobs and the rector of the school Friedrich Wilhelm Döring . Accordingly, he rose continuously at the grammar school and rejected all calls from other schools. He taught Latin, history, philosophy and the Italian language and was appointed professor in 1797 . On April 1, 1801, he was also entrusted with teaching physics and mathematics at the school teachers' seminar . In 1819 he received his first professorship at the grammar school. After 1839 nor his 50-year anniversary was celebrated, he went in 1840 to the retired and left Christian Ferdinand Schulze the first professorship, but continued to teach at the school teacher seminar.

Honors

• before 1836 Duke of Saxony-Ernestine House Order
• 1840 ducal councilor

Works (selection)

• Arithmetic book for community and country schools. Becker, Gotha 1804.
• Physics textbook for learned schools. With woodcuts. Frommann, Jena 1806.
• Pure mathematics textbook. With woodcuts. 2nd edition, Fromann, Jena 1810.
• Mathematical Geography Textbook. Göschen, Leipzig 1814 (later with de Gruyter, Berlin).
• Lectures on the science of nature for women. 3 volumes, Dyk, Leipzig 1832–1836.
• Collection of physical tasks and their resolution: for use in schools and for self-teaching. Frommann, Jena 1843.
• Textbook of natural science for beginners. Along with a brief introduction to natural history. 8th edition, Becker, Gotha 1844.

In addition, Kries submitted various translations from English, French and Italian. In addition, together with Ludwig Christian Lichtenberg, he edited the writings of Georg Christoph Lichtenberg and made contributions to periodicals such as the Gotha Court Calendar and the General German Library . His prize pamphlet on the cause of earthquakes also became popular .

literature

• Max Schneider: The teachers of the high school illustrious in Gotha. Part 2. Engelhard-Reyher, Gotha 1902, p. 7 f., No. 167 ( digitized version ).
• Albert Schumann :  Kries, Friedrich Christian . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 17, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1883, pp. 167-169.
• Statistical manual of the German high schools, for the year 1836. Volume 1, Krieger, Kassel 1837, p. 529.
• Christian Ferdinand Schulze : History of the Gotha High School. Perthes, Gotha 1824, pp. 290, 301, 307, 309.

Web links

• Works by and about Friedrich Christian Kries  in the German Digital Library