Friedrich Gustav Arvelius

Friedrich Gustav Arvelius (* 5th February ^July / 16 February  1753 ^greg. In Reval ; † 13 July ^July / 25 July  1806 ^greg. Ibid) was an Estonian - German Baltic writer and enlightener.

Life

Friedrich Gustav Arvelius was born into the family of the Finnish pastor Friedrich Immanuel Arvelius and his wife Augusta Johanna Friesell. He received lessons at home in Viru-Nigula ( German Maholm ) until he was 16 . From 1769 to 1771 he attended the cathedral school in Reval .

Arvelius studied theology , philology and other subjects at the University of Leipzig from 1771 to 1775 . He then returned to Estonia. In Virumaa ( Wierland ) in northern Estonia he was initially employed as a private tutor in Kalvi ( Pöddes ) and Kiikla ( Kiekel ) in the service of Baron Friedrich von Rosen. From 1790 he held a position as professor of theology at Tallinn Gymnasium. In addition, he taught Latin , geography and history and was the principal of the school several times. In 1803 he was appointed councilor .

enlightenment

Friedrich Gustav Arvelius wrote two educational and educational books through which he became famous: Üks Kaunis Jutto- ja Öppetusse-Ramat (Volume I 1782, Volume II 87) and Ramma Josepi Hädda- ja Abbi-Ramat (1790). The former contained readings translated into Estonian , some of which were taken from Friedrich Eberhard von Rochow's (1734–1802) book Der Kinderfreund (Volume I 1776, Volume II 1779), and some were written by Arvelius himself. It also contains Arvelius' independently written story Ramma Josepi Ello, Öppetussed ja Könned , which Arvelius wrote for the second volume. Above all in the figure of Ramma Josep, Arvelius introduces an intelligent Estonian in a moralizing tone who wants to free himself from the far-reaching ignorance of the lower rural population through education . At Arvelius, however, there is no resistance to the existing system of rule.

The second book is based on Rudolph Zacharias Becker's (1752–1822) Aid and Aid Booklet for Farmers (1788), which Arvelius adapted with many tips for a healthy lifestyle, sensible housekeeping, good nutrition and general wisdom for Estonian needs. The didactically designed volume was published with funds from the Tallinn Amateur Theater and, in some cases, 10,000 copies were distributed to the poorer classes free of charge.

Theater and poetry

Arvelius was closely associated with the Estonian amateur theater from the start. During his time in Kiikla, he supported theater productions there and came into contact with the director of the Tallinn amateur theater, August von Kotzebue . In 1776 Arvelius published the text sketch of a story of the Revalschen lovers' theater , which traces the history and activities of the theater. For von Kotzebue he probably wrote some Estonian-language text passages in his plays and tried unsuccessfully in 1794 to bring a play in Estonian to the stage. His brother, Martin Heinrich Arvelius (1760–1799), was also involved in the theater.

Friedrich Gustav Arvelius wrote three plays in German: Elisa ( Riga , 1777) and Lydia and Der Neujahrstag (both Leipzig , 1779). A play in Estonian ( Ramma Josepi Jubilei , 1774) remained unpublished. His work shows Arvelius as a supporter of Sturm und Drang . In addition, Arvelius wrote poetry in German, which he published under the pseudonym Sembard (after the river Sämi, now Kunda , and the word Barde ) in the monthly for spirit and heart and the Estonian poetic flower picking .

Estophil

In 1792 Arvelius published his work on the culture of the Estonian language . In it he propagates in an enlightening way that everyone should use his mother tongue. He calls for the further development of Estonian into a cultural language. As early as 1787 he had put forward his own thoughts on the Enlightenment in the Scriptures Thoughts about our newest enlightenment and tolerance preachers .

Most important works

• Üks Kaunis Jutto- ja Öppetusse-Ramat. Söbbra polest, meie maa-laste heaks, ja nendele röömsaks ajawiiteks koggutud ja kokko pandud, kes aeglaste öppiwad luggema. Tallinas trükkitud Lindworsse kirjadega, 1782
• Üks Kaunis Jutto- ja Öppetusse-Ramat. Söbbra polest, meie maa-laste heaks, ja nendele röömsaks ajawiiteks koggutud ja kokko pandud, kes aegsaste öppiwad luggema. Good Jaggo. - Tallinas trükkitud Iwerseni ja Wehmeri kirjadega, 1787
• Ramma Josepi Hädda- ja Abbi-Ramat. Ehk maggusad ja tullusad juttud ja öppetused, kuida ma-rahwas woib röömsaste ellada, ausal wisil rikkaks sada, ja isse ennesele ja mu rahwale monnesugguses häddas ja wiletsusses abbi tehha. Trükkitud Iwerseni ja Wemeri kirjadega, 1790
• About the culture of the Estonian language. A letter of invitation to the celebration of the great festival of acceptance of your Käiserlichen Majesty Catharina Alexiewna self-rule of all Russia. Reval on November 23, 1792

literature

• Hasselblatt, Cornelius. History of Estonian Literature . Berlin, New York 2006, p. 155f.
• Vinkel, Aarne: Friedrich Gustav Arvelius 18. sajandi kirjanikuna. Couple sammukest eesti kirjanduse ja rahvaluule uurimise teed. Uurimusi ja materjale I. Tallinn 1958
• Webermann, Otto Alexander : Fr. Gustav Arvelius as a language theorist. In: Congressus secundus internationalis fenno-ugristarum. Helsinki 23-28 VIII. 1965. Pars I. Helsinki 1968
• Webermann, Otto Alexander : Studies on popular enlightenment in Estonia. Friedrich Gustav Arvelius (1753-1806). In: Treatises of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen, Philological - Historical Class: Volume 3; No. 110. Edited and edited by Johann Dietrich von Pezold. Göttingen 1978
• Carola L. Gottzmann , Petra Hörner: Lexicon of the German-language literature of the Baltic States and St. Petersburg . De Gruyter, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-11-019338-1 , p. 154 f .

Web links

• Baltic Historical Commission (Ed.): Entry on Friedrich Gustav Arvelius. In: BBLD - Baltic Biographical Lexicon digital
• Life and Work (Estonian)

Remarks

1. ↑ "A beautiful history and textbook"
2. ↑ "Josep's emergency and aid book"
3. ^ "Life, teachings and speeches of the lame Joseps"