Friedrich Wilhelm Held

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Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Franz Held , partly also Heldt , (born August 11, 1813 in Neisse ; † March 26, 1872 in Berlin ) was a German journalist, magazine editor, historical writer and democratic politician during the revolution of 1848 .

Life

His father was a Johann Held from Bohemia who served as an officer in the Prussian army. His mother was Rosina (née Willrich). Apparently the parents died early because Held was brought up in the royal orphanage in Potsdam.

Like his father, Held initially embarked on a military career. In 1831 he was a lieutenant in the 36th Infantry Regiment. After a few years he said goodbye and first tried his hand at various places as an actor. Finally he settled down as a writer in Erfurt . In 1841 he had published a small volume entitled “Prussian Heroes” dedicated to Prince Wilhelm of Prussia. Because of this writing, he was mocked, caricatured and called a renegade during the revolutionary time, when he had long since switched to the opposition camp.

In Leipzig he had been the weekly newspaper Leipziger Locomotive since January 1843 . The paper was quickly successful and reached a circulation of 20,000 copies. The paper was banned, although Held appeared radical, but ultimately only called for a constitutional monarchy. He tried to continue the magazine under new titles in Halle and Schkeuditz . At times he was arrested and published the writings "Censuriana or secrets of the censorship" from 1844 and "Dem Deutschen Volke" from 1846.

He finally moved to Berlin, where since April 1848 he has published the paper as “Locomotive. Newspaper for Political Education of the People ”. He tried to exert political influence in numerous demagogic posters and as a speaker in mass gatherings. He rose to become one of the leaders of the democratic movement. However, he was wavering in his opinions and lost the previously unconditional trust of the population.

He made it easy for the right wing to mock him because of his appearance, which was oriented towards Schiller's robbers - flowing beard, long hair and a Hecker hat.

After the beginning of the counter-revolution in December 1848, when other opposition papers were banned, Held was initially able to continue his locomotive before the paper was also banned in January 1849.

In the time of the fiercest repression hero lived on magic lantern -Vorführungen and puppet theater today covers. Later he was the royal peat inspector at Freienwalde . After a period in Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg , he returned to Berlin and published the weekly “Theatralia”. From 1863 he was the editor of the “Staatsbürgerzeitung”. It was close to the emerging labor movement, but also to the petty bourgeoisie critical of capitalism. In 1871 he separated from the previous publisher and opened a rival company, “Staatsbürgerzeitung (Alte Held'sche)”. The owner was a cooperative, but the actual director was a hero.

In addition to various other writings, Held published an eight-volume illustrated world history together with Otto von Corvin from 1844 onwards . He also wrote a “History of the Revolutionary Age 1789-1850”, which has appeared in several volumes since 1850. About the period of the revolution of 1848 and the following years he wrote “Germany's apprenticeship years 1848-1850.” This, too, has appeared in several parts since 1859.

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personal data
SURNAME Hero, Friedrich Wilhelm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Held, Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Franz (full name); Heldt, Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Franz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Journalist, author and revolutionary
DATE OF BIRTH August 11, 1813
PLACE OF BIRTH Neisse
DATE OF DEATH March 26, 1872
Place of death Berlin