Fritz Jonas

Fritz Jonas (born June 24, 1845 in Berlin ; † July 21, 1920 ibid) was a German high school teacher and literary historian .

He was particularly interested in German literature, namely Friedrich Schiller . From 1892 to 1896 he published Schiller's letters in a critical, seven-volume complete edition. He was also a co-founder of the Society for German Literature and the Literature Archive in Berlin as well as the Marbach Schiller Club .

Life

Fritz Jonas was the youngest son of the theologian and Schleiermacher student Ludwig Jonas and his wife Elisabeth, b. Countess von Schwerin-Putzar and brother of the banker Paul Jonas . He attended the Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster in Berlin from 1854 to 1863 and from 1863 to the Abitur in 1866 the Royal Wilhelm Gymnasium . He then studied literature in the first semester in Zurich . On the long-term advice of his guardian and brother-in-law, the banker Adelbert Delbrück and the historian Theodor Mommsen , who was a friend of Delbrück, he changed his subject and studied classical philology in Berlin from the second semester . After receiving his doctorate in November 1870 - with a dissertation on the philosopher Seneca - he completed his studies in classical philology with the state examination one year later.

On the mediation of Theodor Mommsen, Fritz Jonas worked until 1875 as a tutor to the Hereditary Prince Friedrich von Waldeck and his four older sisters in Arolsen .

Then he worked until 1882 as a teacher at the grammar school for the gray monastery in Berlin. In 1882 he was elected as a school councilor in Berlin on his application by the magistrate. He carried out this task until 1912.

In 1878 Fritz Jonas married Anna Franz, the second oldest daughter of the senior teacher at the Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster, Professor Rudolph Franz . The marriage produced four children, including the Berlin painter Ilse Jonas . The Germanist Fritz Behrend was his son-in-law.

Literary work

Since his studies in Zurich, Fritz Jonas had a personal interest in German literature. In 1880 he published previously unprinted letters from Wilhelm von Humboldt to Christian Gottfried Körner . A little later - in 1882 - his book "Christian Gottfried Körner und seine Haus" was published. In the course of this work, Jonas' interest in Friedrich Schiller and his time grew. From 1892 to 1896 he published all of Schiller's letters in a seven-volume, critical complete edition. In addition, other smaller works about Schiller appeared, in particular the later printed address “To Schiller's Memory” at the November 1909 meeting of the Society for German Literature in Berlin.

Fritz Jonas has also published several educational books. These include "Rochow's letters, popular writings for use in advanced training schools", " Friedrich Eberhard von Rochow's all educational writings" (together with Friedrich Wienecke) and a text "200 Years of Prussian History", which the Berlin magistrate sent 18,000 copies to students in municipal schools distributed.

As a student of Theodor Mommsen, Fritz Jonas and Mommsen developed a close friendly relationship with regular encounters over the years. For Theodor Mommsen's 80th birthday, Fritz Jonas wrote an appreciation that was published in the Deutsche Rundschau in December 1897. The friendship between Mommsen and Jonas is particularly evident in the “Memories of Theodor Mommsen” published by Fritz Jonas in 1917. They also give an insight into the history of the creation of the Society for German Literature in Berlin (under the direction of Erich Schmidt ) and the founding history of the Berlin Literature Archive and the Marbach Schiller Association. As a co-founder, Fritz Jonas was personally involved in these companies.

Publications

Fritz Jonas' most important publications are:

• "Schiller's Letters". This critical complete edition in 7 volumes, edited by Fritz Jonas, was published by the Deutsche Verlagsanstalt 1892-1896.
• "Schiller's soul needle". Publication by Fritz Jonas in Verlag Ernst Siegfried Mittler und Sohn, Berlin, 1904.
• "Christian Gottfried Körner and his house", published by Fritz Jonas in the Weidmannschen Buchhandlung, Berlin, 1892.
• "200 Years of Prussian History" by Fritz Jonas, published in 1900 by A. Hofmann & Comp., Berlin.
• “For Theodor Mommsen's eightieth birthday”, a tribute to Fritz Jonas, printed in the “Deutsche Rundschau” issue 3 Dec. 1897.
• “Memories of Theodor Mommsen on his centenary birthday” by Fritz Jonas, 1917, printed by Trowitzsch & Sohn, Berlin.

Web links

Wikisource: Fritz Jonas  - Sources and full texts

• Fritz Jonas estate in the Kalliope union catalog