Friedrich Fabri

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Friedrich Fabri
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Friedrich Gotthart Karl Ernst Fabri (born June 12, 1824 in Schweinfurt , † July 18, 1891 in Würzburg ) was a German Protestant theologian and publicist. In addition to and after his work as chief inspector of the Rhenish Mission , he was instrumental in the development of the German colonial movement. Fabri was also an honorary professor at the University of Bonn .

origin

Friedrich Gotthart Karl Ernst Fabri was the only son of Ernst Friedrich Wilhelm Fabri, who worked as dean in Würzburg from 1836 to 1866, was involved in the establishment of an interdenominational Johanneszwig association for voluntary poor relief in 1854 and died as dean and church councilor. After studying theology in Erlangen and Berlin , Friedrich Fabri became vicar in Würzburg in 1848 , where he worked with his father, and in 1851 pastor in Bonnland (now in Hammelburg ), where he married Henriette Brandt, daughter of a southern Hanoverian landowner. During his studies in 1841 he became a member of the Bubenreuth fraternity in Erlangen.

Missionary work

In 1857 Fabri became chief inspector of the Rhenish Mission in Barmen (now part of Wuppertal ). In this position, he instituted a better training for mission candidates, including the ancient languages ​​and ensuring that the missionaries' personalities were considered and strengthened. He improved the communication with the missionaries through regular circulars about political and church developments and gave the mission society an elaborated statute with a general assembly as the highest organ.

He also founded the Continental Mission Conference in Bremen, which brought together the European evangelical mission organizations and met for the first time in 1866. In terms of church politics, Fabri advocated a stronger separation of church and state and a decentralization of the Protestant church. After 27 years he resigned from his office at the Rhenish Mission and concentrated on journalistic work, especially for a German colonial policy.

Colonial policy

In the course of his work, Fabri began to deal with the issue of emigration. In 1865 he founded a committee for Protestant Germans in Brazil , later the Evangelical Society for Protestant Germans in America , which he led until his death.

Against the background of the revolution of 1848 , he advocated the thesis that the deportation of German workers who clung to revolutionary ideas to German colonies raised the social question , i. H. the impoverishment and overpopulation in the German Reich would be solved.

In 1879 he published a brochure intended as a “political-economic consideration” with the question: Does Germany need colonies? . In doing so, he initiated a broad public discussion on the subject and helped the idea of ​​German colonialism to succeed. As "all-encompassing crisis therapy", Fabri argued for the export of people, capital and goods.

From this point on, Fabri devoted himself primarily to the colonial movement through speeches, editorials and correspondence and participated in the founding of the West German Association for Colonization and Export , of which he was chairman throughout its existence. However , he was not appointed to the colonial council , which was based on his idea. He was also unable to realize his favorite plan for a colony in Brazil , but remained active until shortly before his death: After a lecture “on the importance of emigration” in front of the Nuremberg Colonial Association, he fell seriously ill and died a few weeks later.

Fonts

  • Emergency situations in the Bavarian church (as city vicar in Würzburg) and other church-political writings
  • Church discipline in the spirit of the gospel , 1854
  • Letters Against Materialism , 1856, 2nd, increased edition, 1864
  • The Origin of Paganism and the Task of the Gentile Mission , 1859
  • The Latest Revivals in America, Ireland, and Other Countries , 1860
  • From the sensus communis as the organ of God's revelation in all people , 1861
  • On the latest revivals in America, Holland, and other countries , 1860
  • About the revivals on German soil , 1861
  • About the workers' homes , 1861
  • The Christian Position on Politics , 1863

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Martin Elze: The Evangelical Lutheran Church. In: Ulrich Wagner (Hrsg.): History of the city of Würzburg. 4 volumes, Volume I-III / 2, Theiss, Stuttgart 2001-2007; III / 1–2: From the transition to Bavaria to the 21st century. 2007, ISBN 978-3-8062-1478-9 , pp. 482-494 and 1305 f., Here: p. 489 f.
personal data
SURNAME Fabri, Friedrich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Fabri, Friedrich Gotthart Karl Ernst (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German theologian and colonial journalist
DATE OF BIRTH June 12, 1824
PLACE OF BIRTH Schweinfurt
DATE OF DEATH July 18, 1891
Place of death Wurzburg