Friedrich Wilhelm Schmidt (prelate)

Friedrich Wilhelm Schmidt (born May 12, 1831 in Freiburg im Breisgau ; † February 6, 1902 in Karlsruhe ) was a Protestant theologian and prelate of the Evangelical Church in Baden .

Life and work

Schmidt was born in Freiburg as the son of the regimental clerk Johann Christian Schmidt and his wife Maria, geb. Fünfgelt, born. Since the family soon relocated for professional reasons, Schmidt grew up in Ettlingen . Here he attended elementary school and Latin school, then the Lyceum in Karlsruhe, where he graduated from high school in 1848. Then he studied theology in Heidelberg , Tübingen and later in Halle (Saale) . He was also briefly at the universities in Berlin and Jena . After his first exam he was at the Heidelberg seminary from 1851 and became a candidate for pastor in Baden. He completed his vicariate in Badenweiler . Then he worked as a pastor in Brühl and in Göbrichen (today Neulingen parish ). He took up his first permanent pastor's position in Weisweil in 1860 . Shortly before, he married Maria Engler, the daughter of the pastor of Mengen . In 1868 he became pastor in Ellmendingen near Pforzheim , before he was elected chief military pastor in 1872 by the commanding general of the XIV Army Corps. At that time he gained a lot of sympathy, so that in 1882 he was almost unanimously elected pastor of the eastern parish in Karlsruhe. In 1893 he moved to the Oberkirchenrat of the Evangelical Church in Baden and two years later he was appointed prelate as the successor to Karl Wilhelm Doll . As a spiritual director, he led the Baden regional church together with the President of the Upper Church Council, Friedrich Wielandt. Because of an eye condition, he asked for a retirement in 1900, which was granted to him. But he remained an extraordinary member of the Oberkirchenrat. He was succeeded as prelate by Albert Helbing . Just over a year after retiring, Schmidt died in February 1902 of complications from a heart condition.

Honorary positions

In addition to his full-time job, Schmidt also worked on a voluntary basis. Among other things, he was chairman of the mother house for child sisters and the deaconess house in Karlsruhe. He also worked in the city ​​mission and in the Baden women's association. In addition, Schmidt was chairman of the Evangelical Conference. From 1871 until he joined the Oberkirchenrat, Schmidt was also a member of the Synod of the Evangelical Regional Church.

For his achievements he was honored with the title D. hc.