Heribert Illig

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Heribert Illig (* 1947 in Vohenstrauß in Bavaria ) is a German publicist and publisher who has become known as a critic of chronology .

Life

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Illig studied German and received his doctorate in 1987 from the University of Bremen with a thesis on Egon Friedell . In other books Illig Friedell's work has partly edited and partly commented on. He worked as a systems analyst at a bank before he devoted himself full-time to his journalistic activities.

From 1981 to 1988 Illig was a leading member of the pseudoscientific society for the reconstruction of human and natural history . From 1989 to 1994 he edited the journal Vorzeit-Frühzeit-Gegenwart and is the editor of the journal Zeitensprünge that emerged from it . He is also the owner of the Mantis publishing house in Graefelfing , which publishes this magazine and books by Illig and Gunnar Heinsohn .

Chronology-critical work

For many years his works have focused on the criticism of chronology. He first turned to early history . Together with Heinsohn, Illig also worked on the history of ancient Egypt , for which they propose a reduction of two thousand years. As a result, the construction of the Great Pyramid dates back to the first millennium BC, as did the megalithic culture . This would shorten the distances between the Paleolithic and the cave paintings of that time in the millennium. For the Middle Ages, Illig put forward the now well-known thesis that 297 years of historical writing did not take place between September 614 and August 911. Illig describes this time as the Invented Middle Ages (sometimes also: Phantom Time ). These theses are not scientifically tenable.

reception

Illig's theses on the criticism of chronology received media attention primarily in popular scientific publications and in daily newspapers . By historians they were u. a. with the reference to methodological errors rejected as unscientific and scientifically refuted.

After Illig's publication of the book The Invented Middle Ages in 1996 by Econ Verlag , its content was the subject of scientific interest and received attention in several reviews .

As early as April 1996, Johannes Fried made a statement in the Historisches Zeitschrift and affirmed the existence of Charlemagne by referring to simultaneous and independent reports in many sources about the son of Charlemagne and described Illig's thesis as “a misleading, inadmissible one Illusion."

On October 1, 1996 Matthias Gräßlin commented on Illig's book in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , pointing out that there was no evidence for Illig's thesis, that it was based on questionable methods and was "historically worthless".

In 1997 Illig presented several statements of his thesis on the invention of the early Middle Ages in the journal Ethik und Sozialwissenschaften for discussion. Illig's statements about the “invented Middle Ages” were viewed by experts from various historical directions:

  • Gerd Althoff explains that a high culture with all its facets would have had to be invented if Illig was right, and describes Illig's thesis as an “absurd idea”. In addition, Althoff shows the enormous counterfeiting that would have been necessary for the consistency of Illig's thesis. Althoff comes to the conclusion that the falsification of the Middle Ages postulated by Illig is impossible.
  • Michael Borgolte examines Illig's approach, which is tied to the positivist thinking of the 19th century. Illig overlooks the historical knowledge that it is never possible to collect all facts in their entirety and that these facts do not allow knowledge from themselves, but only in connection with other facts. Borgolte therefore criticizes Illig's offense at all early medieval incidents, which seem to have no analogies in their time. Borgolte comes to the conclusion that Illig's approaches are "methodologically flawed and scientifically problematic".
  • According to Helmut Flachenecker , Illig is assuming a conspiracy thesis , but without specifying the conspirators and the purpose of the conspiracy. Illig also lacks other sources that can substantiate his thesis. Illig's thesis would therefore only remain "scientific self-abandonment". Flachenecker criticizes Illig's belief in progress and hubris, which is shown in Illig's flawed premise of a straightforward story that Illig's thesis should be rejected due to its historical-theoretical weakness.
  • Gunnar Heinsohn considers “a careful examination of Illig's thesis” to be “unavoidable” and suggests that Illig's thesis be checked on the basis of excavations in cities with an assumed continuity of settlement between 600 and 900. He also lists other examples according to which written sources are said to have decreased between 500 and 800. He sees Illig's thesis as an approach to dating the life dates of Moses von Choren . In addition, Heinsohn speculates about possible motives for the forgery postulated by Illig.
  • Like Werner Bergmann, Dietrich Lohrmann proves Illig's incorrect calculation approach for the Gregorian calendar reform. He refutes Illig's assertion that the building of the Aachen Palatine Chapel was unconditional and shows Illig deficiencies in the interpretation of sources, particularly in Latin. Lohrmann criticizes that Illig did not deal with the legacies of the time Illig questioned, but mainly with secondary literature .
  • Jan van der Meulen deals in detail with Illig's architectural-historical arguments and rejects them.
  • Wolfhard Schlosser checks the consistency of Illig's theses on the basis of historically known astronomical events and comes to the conclusion that Illig's thesis is not tenable from an astronomical point of view.

Also in 1997, the then magazine of the Association of History Teachers dealt with Illig's theses in science and teaching :

  • Hartmut Boockmann commented on Illig in the editorial and describes Illig's book as "obviously nonsensical" and refers to Wilhelm Kammeier , a predecessor of Illig, who viewed the entire Middle Ages as the product of a forgery.
  • Rudolf Schieffer wrote in the same magazine and showed Illig numerous methodological errors.

In 1997, Richard Herzinger attested to the public a “need to rewrite and reinterpret history”, which Illig served. Herzinger explains that Illig shows historians that the interpretation of the past is largely based on conceptual constructions and not on clearly verifiable facts. Herzinger complains that Illig is proceeding in the same way with his thesis.

Ekkehard Eickhoff pointed out in a review of the follow-up volume published by Illig in 1999, Who turned the clock? on the enormous effort that a history falsification postulated by Illig would have required.

Michael Borgolte already saw the scientific debate about Illig's thesis as concluded in 1999.

Stephan Matthiesen dealt with Illig's thesis in 2001 in the journal Der Skeptiker and also sheds light on the reactions of scientists to Illig's thesis. In doing so, he states that "in fact, several historians have expressed themselves in a well-founded and detailed, but clear manner, on his theses"; but no further argument.

Works

  • as editor: Egon Friedell : Abolition of genius. Essays until 1918. Löcker Verlag, Vienna 1982, ISBN 3-85409-042-0 . (contained in 2007 in Egon Friedell: Vom Schaltwerk der Menschen. Diogenes Verlag, Zurich 2007, ISBN 978-3-257-06625-8 )
  • as editor: Egon Friedell: voluntary disclosure. Essays from 1918. Löcker Verlag, Vienna 1983, ISBN 3-85409-051-X . (contained in 2007 in Egon Friedell: Vom Schaltwerk der Menschen. Diogenes Verlag, Zurich 2007, ISBN 978-3-257-06625-8 )
  • as editor: Egon Friedell: Meine Doppelseele. Tactless remarks on the theater. Löcker Verlag, Vienna 1985, ISBN 3-85409-087-0 . (contained in 2007 in Egon Friedell: Vom Schaltwerk der Menschen. Diogenes Verlag, Zurich 2007, ISBN 978-3-257-06625-8 )
  • Egon Friedell and Immanuel Velikovsky. From the worldview of two outsiders. PAF Verlag, Basel 1985, ISBN 3-85624-007-1 .
  • as editors: Egon Friedell and Alfred Polgar : Goethe and the journalists. Satires in a duet. Löcker Verlag, Vienna 1986, ISBN 3-85409-095-1 .
  • Writer - showman. The artistic activities of Egon Friedell. Löcker Verlag, Vienna 1987, ISBN 3-85409-105-2 .
  • as editor: Egon Friedell: Das Friedell-Lesebuch. CH Beck Verlag, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-406-32415-0 . (New edition: The Egon Friedell Reading Book. Diogenes Verlag, Zurich 2009, ISBN 978-3-257-23882-2 )
  • The antiquated past. A new chronological map of European prehistory. Eichborn Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1988, ISBN 3-8218-0412-2 . (3rd edition 2011, Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing, ISBN 978-3-928852-42-5 )
  • as editor: Egon Friedell: Culture is a wealth of problems. Haffmans Verlag, Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-251-20069-0 .
  • with Gunnar Heinsohn : When did the pharaohs live? Eichborn Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1990, ISBN 3-8218-0422-X . (5th edition 2003, Mantis, Graefelfing, ISBN 3-928852-26-4 )
  • Charlemagne, called the fictional. Too big as ruler, too small as reality. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 1992, ISBN 3-928852-03-5 .
  • Chronology and Catastrophism. From the first human to the impending asteroid impact. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 1992, ISBN 3-928852-01-9 .
  • with Franz Löhner: The construction of the Great Pyramid. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 1992, ISBN 3-928852-05-1 . (6th edition 2003: The construction of the Great Pyramid after the ramp period. ISBN 3-928852-17-5 )
  • Did Charlemagne ever live? Buildings, finds and writings in conflict. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 1994, ISBN 3-928852-08-6 .
  • The invented Middle Ages - the greatest time falsification in history. Econ Verlag, Düsseldorf 1996, ISBN 3-430-14953-3 . (22nd edition 2014: The invented Middle Ages. Did Charlemagne ever live? Ullstein Verlag, Berlin, ISBN 978-3-548-36429-2 )
  • Who has turned the clock? How 300 years of history were invented. Econ Verlag, Düsseldorf 1999, ISBN 3-612-26561-X . (7th edition 2009: Who turned the clock? How 300 years of the Middle Ages were invented. Ullstein Verlag, Berlin, ISBN 978-3-548-36476-6 )
  • with Gerhard Anwander: Bavaria and the phantom time. Archeology refutes documents from the early Middle Ages. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2002, ISBN 3-928852-21-3 .
  • as editor: Specht K. Heidrich: Mykenische Geschichte / n. Greek Archaic History to the Test. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2004, ISBN 3-928852-28-0 .
  • The Chiemsee monasteries. New perspective on old art. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2008, ISBN 978-3-928852-36-4 .
  • History, myths, disasters: Beyond Velikovsky. 2nd Edition. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2010, ISBN 978-3-928852-41-8 .
  • Aachen without Charlemagne. Technology throws his kingdom into nothing. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2011, ISBN 978-3-928852-43-2 . (3rd edition 2013, ISBN 978-3-928852-48-7 )
  • Graefelfing & Pasing 1250 years? A critical foray into Bavaria's early history. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2013, ISBN 978-3-928852-47-0 .
  • Master Anton, called Pilgram, or farewell to mannerism. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2013, ISBN 978-3-928852-46-3 .
  • The emperor's empty bookshelf. Who Preserved the Ancient Heritage? Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2017, ISBN 978-3-928852-51-7 .
  • Gregor's calendar correction 1582 - Caesar, Nicaea and the papal white lie. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2019, ISBN 978-3-928852-52-4 .
  • 100 years of revolution. 1918/19: Vienna - Munich - Rijeka / Fiume. Literature. Art . Politics GraeVerlag, Graefelfing 2019, ISBN 978-3-942138-66-6 .
  • Rejuvenated old sculpture. Christian new beginning after 1000 in stone, wood and bronze Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing 2019, ISBN 978-3-928852-54-8 .
  • as editor: Egon Friedell : Der Schatten der Antike. The so far missing final chapter of the “Cultural History of Antiquity”. Mantis Verlag, Graefelfing. ISBN 978-3-928852-55-5

literature

  • Journal of Ethics and Social Sciences. Dispute forum for culture of consideration (EuS). No. 4, 1997, pp. 481-507. Does the early Middle Ages contain invented time?
  • E. Eickhoff: Review: H. Illig, Who turned the clock? How 300 years of history were invented. Düsseldorf 1999. In: FAZ. February 8, 2000.
  • Gunnar Heinsohn : Enigmatic Three Hundred Years. [Commentary on the theses of H. Illig]. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . February 15, 2000.

Web links

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Heribert Illig: The invented Middle Ages - the greatest time falsification in history. Düsseldorf 1996, ( DNB 948019042 ).
  2. ↑ Johannes Fried: Science and Imagination. The example of history. In: Historical magazine. Volume 263, No. 2, 1996, pp. 291-316, p. 314, ( JSTOR 27631036 ).
  3. ^ Matthias Grässlin: Dr. Strange and the time bomb - Heribert Illig cures the chronology. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. October 1, 1996; P. L31.
  4. ↑ Matthias Grässlin: "A passable novel idea, but it is historically worthless: It is not based on any documents." (...) "Illig's architectural and art-historical arguments are initially evident and clear, but always result in milkmaid bills." (...) " However, since he is unfamiliar with the rules of methodical source criticism, he limits himself either to very general arguments or to selective observations that mainly concern the field of mathematics or astronomy. "(...)" Illig's theory (...) confuses history with logic " . etc. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. October 1, 1996.
  5. ↑ Ethics and Social Sciences . Dispute forum for culture of consideration (EuS). Issue 4, 1997.
  6. ↑ Gerd Althoff: Can you invent a high culture? In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 483.
  7. ↑ “But it is pointless to think about what is actually more impossible: to falsify the level of culture, to produce forgeries on such a scale or to establish the inner coherence of the forgeries. It is no coincidence that comparatives or superlatives of impossible are forbidden, even purely in language. All three things are definitely impossible. ”Gerd Althoff: Can you invent a high culture? In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 484.
  8. ↑ "Because of the medieval computistics and the calendar system - among many other arguments - there is that a period of 3 centuries cannot have failed." Werner Bergmann: Osterfestrechnung and calendar. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 485.
  9. ↑ Michael Borgolte: About amazement over history. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 486.
  10. ↑ Helmut Flachenecker: From the invention of a time without contradictions. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 488.
  11. ↑ "But anyone who, like Illig, assumes that history has to run in a straight line and thus succumbs to the hubris of one's own present of living in the best of all times, has actually exceeded the framework of a scientifically honest approach." Helmut Flachenecker: From the invention of one inconsistent time. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 488.
  12. ↑ a b Gunnar Heinsohn: Armenians and Jews as a test case for the deletion of three centuries by Heribert Illig. In: EuS. No. 4, 1997, pp. 490-491.
  13. ↑ "The question from EuS amazes me very much, because the theses of Dr. Illig are so absurd that a scientific journal runs the risk of being ridiculed. In any case, I will not take part in this discussion ”. Theo Kölzer: Letter instead of criticism. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 491.
  14. ↑ “Illig is an avid reader of secondary literature, good and not so good. He uncovered all sorts of inconsistencies in it, presented them with skill and irony. But he doesn't question the witnesses of the time. ”Dietrich Lohrmann: Judge on times and witnesses. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 493.
  15. ↑ Jan van der Meulen: The grave cult site Saint-Denis. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 493ff.
  16. ↑ "All in all, from an astronomical point of view, it can be stated that there is no reason to change the established chronology." Wolfhard Schlosser: Astronomie und Chronologie. In: EuS. Volume 4, 1997, p. 507.
  17. ^ History in Science and Education . (GWU), issue 10, 1997.
  18. ↑ GWU. Issue 10, 1997, editorial.
  19. ↑ A Middle Ages without Charlemagne, or: The answers are now simple. In: GWU. Volume 10, 1997, pp. 611-617.
  20. ↑ Richard Herzinger: The millennium is going crazy - The year is 1699 - reflections on the new need to rewrite history. In: The time . September 26, 1997, p. 64.
  21. ↑ Herzinger: “Illig shows indirectly that historiography remains in the last instance narrative and that its interpretation of the past is largely based on conceptual constructions and not on clearly verifiable facts. He does this, however, by not drawing any relativistic conclusions from it, but by presenting a construction with an absolute claim to validity ”. In: The time. September 26, 1997, p. 64.
  22. ↑ Ekkehard Eickhoff: Rare coins are only rare when they are rare - News from the forger workshop: Heribert Illig did not expect the numismatic findings. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. No. 32, February 8, 2000, p. 55.
  23. ↑ The Medievalists studied Illig intensively for five years. I think now is the time to be silent about him. In the meantime, a pseudo-religious community has emerged around Illig, which is slowly becoming sectarian. from: A pseudo-religious community. Interview with Michael Borgolte. In: Der Tagesspiegel . June 29, 1999; quoted by H. Illig: Invented Middle Ages - In vain defense by Stephan Matthiesen. 2002.
  24. ↑ “Why are only a few historians ready to face this debate? Dieter Herrmann believes that historians see Illig as “an unscientific provocateur whose views don't need to be grappled with” (Skeptiker 4/00, p. 182). I consider this to be an unfair accusation, especially since several historians have actually commented on his theses in a well-founded and detailed, but clear manner - but have now also remained silent. I think there are understandable reasons for this 'falling silent'. On the one hand, no scientist is interested in permanently dealing with theses that do not lead any further - there are so many other interesting questions in historical research. ” Stephan Matthiesen: Invented Middle Ages - fruitless thesis! In: Skeptics. 2/2001.
personal data
SURNAME Illig, Heribert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German publicist and publisher
DATE OF BIRTH 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Vohenstrauss in Bavaria