Heinrich Otte (pastor)

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Heinrich Otte on the cover picture of the 5th edition of his book Handbuch der echlichen Kunst-Archeologie des Deutschen Mittelalter des Deutschen Mittelalter

Christoph Heinrich Otte (born March 24, 1808 in Berlin ; † August 12, 1890 in Merseburg ) was a German Protestant clergyman who published several works as an " art archaeologist ". In the 19th century he was considered to be the founder and the most outstanding representative of "ecclesiastical antiquity of the German Middle Ages ".

Life

Heinrich Otte was born in Berlin as the son of a businessman. After attending the Joachimsthal Gymnasium , he began studying Protestant theology in Berlin in the fall of 1826 at the Friedrich Wilhelms University , where he was particularly influenced by Friedrich Schleiermacher . He continued his studies at the University of Halle and passed the first theological exam in 1831 and the second in 1832. From 1834 to autumn 1878 he was pastor in Fröhden near Jüterbog in what was then the province of Saxony . In 1877 the old rectory burned down there, and its library was destroyed. In retirement he lived in Merseburg, where he died in 1890.

He received the Dr. theol. hc from the Berlin Friedrich Wilhelms University and the Dr. phil. hc awarded by the University of Halle .

plant

Otte had not received any art-historical training during his university studies. The monuments themselves, especially the Merseburg Cathedral , aroused his interest in their history and condition during his parish office. He entered into relationships with Ludwig Puttrich , the publisher of the monuments of architecture in the Middle Ages in Saxony and with Karl Eduard Förstemann in Halle and was inspired by him to do further research. Förstemann induced him to write the little book: Brief outline of an ecclesiastical art-archeology of the Middle Ages with special reference to the Kgl. Prussia. Prov. Sachsen , Nordhausen 1842. The new edition of this modest first work, which soon became necessary, was taken over by the Leipzig-based publisher TO Weigel , who was able to massively increase the value through a richer set of images. This 2nd edition (1845) covered the whole of Germany, the 3rd edition (1854), under the new title Handbook of Church Art-Archeology of the German Middle Ages, formed a stately volume with 13 steel engravings and 362 woodcuts , the 4th edition (1868) grew to two volumes. Otte had already made all the preparations for a fifth edition when the aforementioned fire destroyed his library and his manuscripts. However , he found a willing and able colleague in Pastor Ernst Wernicke in Loburg, so that in 1883 and 1885 the two volumes of the last edition could run out.

In the course of its history, the book grew from 39 pages to 1462 and at the same time increased its illustration material from 3 plates to 17 plates and 533 illustrations. In this development it marked the rapidly growing interest and rapid progress in this field of work, but at the same time the author's increasing involvement not only in the rich scope, but also in the understanding of the material. The fact that Otte was primarily an archaeologist is expressed in the postponement of the art-historical, development-historical moment. In addition, in the years since the 5th edition was published, research in art history in particular has often come to new perspectives, so that some drastic corrections would have had to be made shortly after the turn of the century. It was completely different with the archaeological part, which generally determines the content of the work. At the time, this was not only a unique thesaurus , an indispensable guide to the sources, but was also unsurpassed in terms of presentation and assessment when viewing the entire work. Even 25 years after the author's death, Otte's book was still the most useful and best teacher of German church art archeology.

Over the years Otte continued to expand the circle of his personal relationships with professional colleagues and his interests and work. Proof of this was his archaeological dictionary, inspired by French and English models, to explain the art terms used in writings on medieval art , Leipzig 1857. The material is linguistically organized into the following sections: German, French, English, and Latin. The significantly increased 2nd edition from 1877 also included the early Christian period and the Renaissance and increased the number of illustrations to 285.

The Archaeological Catechism , published in 1859, proved to be even more conducive to the latter . Brief instruction in ecclesiastical art archeology of the German Middle Ages . The more detailed explanation of this title: with regard to the Kgl. Prussia. States of the inventory of ecclesiastical art monuments officially used the question form , explains the origin. The aim is "to give the clergy a short and convenient introduction to the ecclesiastical antiquities of our fatherland". A second edition followed in 1872; a third edition with a substantial increase in content and detailed consideration of developments was provided by Heinrich Bergner in 1898 after the death of the author .

1858 Otte published originally in the General Encyclopedia of Sciences and Arts particular bells customer which could also be referred to in its second edition (1881) around the turn of the century still be the best treatment of this subject. A posthumous fragment on the Glockenkunde served as a supplement , which is reported in the above-mentioned paper by Julius Schmidt , which was published at the instigation of the Historical Commission of the Province of Saxony . The last major work that Otte planned in his scientific indefatigability was a history of German architecture from its beginnings to the present. In 1874 the first volume, History of Romanesque Architecture , published in deliveries , was ready; the company then stalled and found no continuation. The magazine for Christian archeology and art that Ferdinand von Quast published in collaboration with him also remained a torso ; it only made up two volumes, which appeared in Leipzig in 1856 and 1858. Otte also published countless other articles and articles in magazines.

Publications (selection)

  • A short outline of an ecclesiastical art archeology of the Middle Ages with special reference to the Kgl. Prussia. Prov. Sachsen , Nordhausen 1842 ( online in the Google book search)
  • Glockenkunde , Weigel, Leipzig 1858, online in the Google book search; 2nd expanded edition Weigel, Leipzig 1884 archive.org
  • Handbook of Church Art Archeology of the German Middle Ages , Leipzig 1868
  • History of German architecture: from Roman times to the present day , Leipzig 1874
  • Archaeological dictionary to explain the art expressions used in writings on Christian art antiquities: German, Latin, French and English , Leipzig 1877

literature

Web links

Wikisource: Heinrich Otte  - Sources and full texts
personal data
SURNAME Otte, Heinrich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Otte, Christoph Heinrich (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Protestant clergyman and "art archaeologist"
DATE OF BIRTH March 24, 1808
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH August 12, 1890
Place of death Merseburg