Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso

Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso

Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso (born May 26, 1759 in Zella St. Blasii ; † June 9, 1826 in Breslau ) was a school director, historian and philologist .

Life

Manso's father was a bailiff . Friedrich Manso and his brother attended the Illustre grammar school in Gotha . Even when they were still in school they were considered to be "learned monsters" who "forged verses in all syllable measures and genres."

“Well-educated, but completely unfamiliar with all the conventional things to do” Manso began his studies in 1779 at the University of Jena . But the young philologists and theologians “suddenly got the urge to assert themselves through physical virtues and dexterity. He took several dance lessons a day and became a complete little master. ”At the same time he devoted himself intensively to his studies of theology , philosophy and philology .

After returning to Gotha from the University of Jena, he initially took a position as private tutor. But from 1783 he taught at the Illustre grammar school , where he soon became a "professor".

In 1790 Friedrich Manso went to Breslau as prorector at the Maria-Magdalenen-Gymnasium (Magdalenäum). In 1793, when he was only 34 years old, he was already the principal of this school, which he led for 33 years until his death. From 1808 he was a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences . His tireless efforts drained his strength. Cared for by his students, Manso, who had remained unmarried, died shortly after he turned 67.

Services

Manso had taken over the traditional Magdalenaeum in Wroclaw with only 90 students. In his development work, often against the resistance of the teaching staff, he spared no personal effort. Thanks to his outstanding skills, the number of students increased again to 415 by 1825. His commitment was worth it. He was revered to an unusual degree by his students. Its influence on the careers of many has been significant. A particularly good relationship developed between him and Friedrich Wilhelm Riemer . Karl von Holtei spoke with great respect for Manso's fine, distinguished personality and Gabriel Gustav Valentin praised the beneficial influence that Manso had had on him. Even students from the University of Breslau, which was newly founded in 1806, registered for Manso's lessons on German literary history .

As a recognized historian, literary historian, translator and critical spirit of his contemporary literature, Manso enjoyed a great reputation among scholars, even beyond Wroclaw. Largely forgotten or only known to a decreasing professional community are his numerous metric translations, for example by Virgil and Sophocles . Manso also wrote poetry in German and Latin. In a dispute with Goethe and Schiller there was even a so-called Xenien dispute . His opponents mocked Ovid in the poem The Second. :

"Poor Naso, you would have written like Manso,
never, you good fellow, would you have seen Tomi."

Manso has achieved very special importance as a historian. He devoted himself to the history of Sparta as intensively as that of Prussia . And he has worked on a number of other historical subjects. Critical words about his King Friedrich Wilhelm III. were even rewarded with the Order of the Red Eagle . Two volumes of "Letters from Christian Garve " are testimony to his intense friendship with the philosopher who also lived in Wroclaw.

literature

• K. Lux: Joh. Kaspar Friedr. Manso. The Silesian schoolboy, poet and historian . Leipzig 1908.
• J. Troeger: Rector Manso in Xenienkampfe . In: Lehrerkollegium der Anstalt (ed.): Festschrift for the 250th anniversary celebration of the St. Maria Magdalena grammar school in Breslau on April 30, 1893 . Wroclaw Cooperative Printing Works, Wroclaw 1893.
• Colmar Grünhagen :  Manso, Johann Kaspar Friedrich . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 20, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1884, pp. 246-248.
• Karl August Böttiger: Literary conditions and contemporaries. Encounters and conversations in classic Weimar . Ed .: Klaus Gerlach, René Sternke. Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-351-02829-6 .
• Otmar Eitner (ed.): The St. Maria-Magdalenen-Gymnasium in Breslau from the 13th to the 20th century. The history of the venerable high school . O. Eitner, Bad Honnef 2003.

Web links

• Literature by and about Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso in the catalog of the German National Library
• Works by and about Johann Kaspar Friedrich Manso  in the German Digital Library