Friedrich Münter

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Friedrich Christian Carl Heinrich Münter

Friedrich Christian Carl Heinrich Münter (born October 14, 1761 in Gotha ; † April 9, 1830 in Copenhagen ) was a German Lutheran theologian , church historian , orientalist , antiquarian , busy Freemason , first researcher of the medieval Knights Templar of modern times, and bishop in the Danish service . Older brother of the writer Sophie Christiane Friederike Brun .

Life

Münter was the son of Balthasar Münter , an enlightened Lutheran theologian who was court preacher and pastor of the St. Petri Church in Copenhagen, and Magdalena Ernestina Sophia Friederika, née Wangenheim (1753-1793). At the age of three, Münter came to Copenhagen with his family (parents and sister), where his father took office on August 25, 1765. The German St. Petri congregation has existed since 1575. Münter's parental home soon became the center of the German congregation in Copenhagen. Here came u. a. Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock , Counts Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg-Stolberg and Christian zu Stolberg-Stolberg , Matthias Claudius , Heinrich Wilhelm von Gerstenberg , Johann Andreas Cramer , Johann Bernhard Basedow and Carsten Niebuhr . His parents visited z. B. Johann Gottfried Herder in Weimar . His acquaintance with Niebuhr, who was the only survivor to return from an expedition from Arabia in 1767, piqued his interest in archaeological interest.

Despite other interests, Münter began to study theology and philosophy at the University of Copenhagen for three years in 1778 . In the early summer of 1780 he passed his philosophical exam and on May 15, 1781 his theological exam. During his studies, at the age of nineteen, Münter became a Freemason in the autumn of 1780 and joined the Friederich Lodge for Crowned Hope in Copenhagen , where he received the three degrees of St. John's Masonry . In order to fulfill his wish to become a professor of theology, he had to continue studying at a foreign university. To this end, on March 26, 1781, he received a three-year travel grant from the Ad usos publicos fund for studying in the famous Georgia Augusta in Göttingen . Before starting his studies, he traveled via Lolland and Fehmarn to Lübeck , his father's hometown, visited Gerstenberg and the old rector Johann Daniel Overbeck as well as the Zum Fruchthorn Lodge , M. Claudius in Wandsbeck and the Stolberg brothers in Tremsbüttel . In Hamburg he spent most of his time with Klopstock, whose acquaintance was of use to him in his further career. Here he visited the lodge to the golden ball under the hammer guidance of Toby Mummsen. In Braunschweig he visited the elderly Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Jerusalem . In Weimar he came into personal contact with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (with whom he talked about Freemasonry), Christoph Martin Wieland , and Johann Joachim Christoph Bode . A deep friendship with Johann Gottfried Herder and his wife as well as with Bode, through whom he was closely connected with the Illuminati Order in his later life, should be emphasized . He traveled on to his hometown Gotha, where he stayed for a month (September 11th to October 11th), where he first met his future master from the chair of the Zum Rautenkranze lodge in Gotha, Christian Georg von Helmolt , a chamberlain on duty . He visited his father's box which Duke Ernst II (Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg) ran. After he had also paid a visit to the city of Erfurt , he came to Göttingen and was able to begin his studies on October 12, 1781. The professors in Göttingen who influenced him and with whom he remained in contact throughout his life were among others the Illuminati: Johann Georg Heinrich Feder (religious name Marcus Aurelius ), who taught him daily logic , Johann Benjamin Koppe (religious name also Marcus Aurelius and Accacius ), who suggested dogmatics to him five days a week , and Ludwig Timotheus Spittler (von Spittler) (religious name Beyle ), with whom he studied Historia canonis . Münter was also a student of professors Christian Gottlob Heyne (later father-in-law Johann Georg Forsters , whose membership in the Illuminati Order is disputed), Christian Wilhelm Walch (church history) and Johann Christoph Gatterer (history), who also taught him diplomats and palaeography . Münter's parents and sister came to visit in 1782 and Friedrich then accompanied them on their return journey from Göttingen to Thuringia to the Danish border and then traveled to Berlin to Johann Joachim Spalding and Dresden to Johann Erich Biester , with whom he spent the summer .

He joined the order of the Illuminati in the summer of 1781 under the name Syrianus , to which he had been accepted by Koppe and Bode (order name Aemilius ), and was able to quickly pass a few degrees there. Helmolt, also an Illuminate by the name of Chrysostomos / Guido della Torre , had written him letters from Gotha, in which he recommended both of Münter as "excellent brothers". On his journey from 1784–1787 he spread Illuminatism in Italy and founded a branch in Naples . As an Illuminate, he had the rank of prefect in Copenhagen.

After studying in Göttingen, he returned to Denmark for a short time in autumn 1783 and, visiting some friends, traveled south in May 1784 via Holstein and Kiel via Göttingen (visits to Koppe and Spittler), Thuringia, Tonna , Gotha, Eisenach and Fulda . In 1784 he was named ab Itinere and became a member of the Strict Observance .

That year, on July 17, 1784, Münter was the first Protestant to be awarded the title of Doctor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of Fulda . With another scholarship from the Danish King Christian VII , he was able to undertake a study trip through Italy . So he traveled on. From Fulda he went to Hanau , where he became acquainted with Prince Carl von Hessen . Münter's path then led via Frankfurt am Main , Darmstadt , Heidelberg , Mannheim , Speyer , Bruchsal , Stuttgart , Ulm , Regensburg to Vienna (arrival August 30), where he lived with Bode. He kept a Masonic diary in secret writing about his travels . From Vienna he traveled on to Venice on October 20, 1784 , which he left on December 8 for Padua , where he moved into his quarters with Count Marco Carbury . Further travel destinations were Vicenza , Verona , Mantua , Modena and Bologna . He arrived in Florence on New Year's Day 1785 . In Pistoia he had long conversations with the church reformer Scipione Ricci , whom he compared to Herder as a "wonderful man". As Münter reported, Ricci's changes were expressly approved by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, who later became Emperor Leopold II .

He arrived in Rome at the end of February 1785 and visited the later Cardinal Stefano Borgia , secretary of the Propaganda Fide, who helped him learn the Coptic language . There were other personal relationships, for example with Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein and Angelika Kauffmann (whom Goethe and Herder would later be welcome guests). He was given permission to copy in the Biblioteca Corsini the great rule of the Templars, which had originally been brought here from the papal archives in Avignon . He later published this work. He went on trips to Naples and Sicily . At the end of 1786 he began his return journey. This led to Switzerland , where he visited Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and managed to get him enthusiastic about the Illuminati. In Zurich he met Johann Kaspar Lavater in particular (on March 22, 1787). He returned to Munich on April 7, 1787 and traveled to Salzburg on April 15, in which city the Illuminat Prince-Bishop Count Hieronymus Colloredo ruled as a supporter of the Enlightenment. The following travel destinations were Nuremberg , Erlangen and Weimar (where he received an audience with Carl August and met Karl Leonhard Reinhold ), Gotha, Göttingen, Braunschweig and, in 1787, Copenhagen. On his return trip he paid his respects to the mineralogist Ignaz von Born , in whose house he felt at home.

After his return to Copenhagen he was with the support of the Duke of Augustenborg on October 31, 1788 Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Copenhagen. On April 23, 1790 as full professor at the University of Copenhagen. Here he also submitted his theological dissertation on the Coptic version of the NT on September 7th . In 1791 he married Maria Elisabeth Krohn in Lübeck. In 1796/97 and 1802/03 he was rector.

From 1794 to 1807, Münter was also a master of the chair in his Masonic lodge . Since his appointment as bishop, he has been the librarian of the lodge and an employee of the Association of German Freemasons and later of the Association of the Consent. In 1798 the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences in Copenhagen accepted Münter as a full member. Since 1812 he was a corresponding member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences and since 1823 a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh . In 1820 he became an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg .

With effect from April 1, 1808, he was appointed bishop of the Seeland monastery and thus the primate of the Danish Church. As such, he was made Knight of Danebrog in August of the same year . Four years later he was appointed Commander of the Danebrog and in 1817 Münter was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog . As bishop, Münter campaigned for the better training of pastors (foundation of a pastoral seminary) and for the revision of the Bible and the catechism declaration.

Friedrich Münter died on April 9, 1830 in Copenhagen at the age of 69. He left behind an extensive and valuable library and coin collection. Many anecdotes about Münter were already circulating during his lifetime; he was the personification of an absent-minded professor .

Works

  • De aetate versionum Novi Testamenti copticorum (1790)
  • Dr. Balthasar Münter's life and characteristics (1793)
  • News from Naples and Sicily (1790)
  • Statute Book of the Order of Templars . - Sinzheim, AAGW, 2002 <Repr. d. Berlin 1794>
  • Mixed contributions to church history . - Copenhagen, Proft & Storch, 1798
  • Haandbog i den ældste christelige kirkes dogmehistorie (1801-04)
  • Den danske reformations historie (1802)
  • Contemplation on natural religion (1805)
  • Odae Gnosticae Salomoni tributae, Thebaice et Latine, praefatione et adnotationibus philologicis illustratae (1812)
  • Antiquarian Treatises (1816)
  • Religion of the Carthaginians (1816; 2nd edition 1821)
  • The Church History of Denmark and Norway (3 volumes, 1823–33)
  • Symbols and artistic ideas of the ancient Christians (1825)
  • Religion of the Babylonians (1827)

literature

  • Carsten Erich CarstensMünter, Friedrich . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 23, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1886, pp. 35-37.
  • Johannes Dose (Ed.): St. Petri 1575–1975: 400 years of the German Evangelical Lutheran St. Petri Congregation in Copenhagen. Copenhagen, sn, 1975
  • Edith Rosenstrauch-Königsberg: Freemason, Illuminate, citizen of the world - Friedrich Münter's travels and letters in their European context. Essen, Hobbing, 1984. ISBN 3-920460-15-4
  • Nico Perrone : La Loggia della Philanthropia. Un religioso danese a Napoli prima della rivoluzione. Con la corrisponenza massonica e altri documenti . Palermo, Sellerio, 2000. ISBN 88-389-2141-5

Web links

Commons : Friederich Münter  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ List of rectors on the University of Copenhagen website
  2. ^ Fellows Directory. Biographical Index: Former RSE Fellows 1783–2002. (PDF file) Royal Society of Edinburgh, accessed March 23, 2020 .
predecessor Office successor
Nicolai Edinger Ball Bishop of Zealand
1830 - 1834
Peter Erasmus Müller