Johann Kaspar Wetzel

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Johann Kaspar Wetzel, contemporary copper engraving

Johann Kaspar Wetzel (also: Johann Caspar Wezel ; * February 22, 1691 in Meiningen ; † August 6, 1755 ibid) was a German Protestant theologian, hymnologist and hymn poet.

Life

The son of the shoemaker Johann Michael Wetzel showed talent early on. Since his parents could not raise the necessary financial means for an academic career, he should actually take up his father's profession. However, he was able to convince his parents of an academic career. He began his training in 1705 at the lyceum in his hometown and in 1708 at the grammar school in Schleusingen , where Gottfried Ludovici had a decisive influence on him as the rector of the institution. During this time he developed a fondness for spiritual songs; at the same time he turned out to be a good Hebraist .

In 1711 he moved to the University of Jena to study theology. Michael Förtsch (1654–1724) and Johann Franz Buddeus were his main teachers there in the field of theological knowledge. Johann Andreas Danz (1654–1727) and Johann Reinhard Rus (1679–1738) instructed him in the oriental languages ​​and their literature . He heard rhetoric from Johann Kasper Posner (1673–1718), mathematics from Georg Albrecht Hamberger (1662–1716), philosophy from Johann Jacob Syrbius (1674–1738) and Gottlieb Stolle (1673–1744). Wezel continued the studies he had started at the University of Halle , where he expanded his theological knowledge under Joachim Justus Breithaupt , Paul Anton , Joachim Lange and August Hermann Francke .

After completing his studies, Wezel found a job as a private tutor. As such he came to the house of the ducal councilor Georg Paul Hönn (1662–1747) in Coburg . It was here that the Electoral Mainz resident in Nuremberg, Baron Georg Christoph von Wölcker, got to know him, who then took him on a long trip to Italy and Switzerland in December 1718 as his travel secretary. During that trip he got to know Nuremberg, Regensburg, Vienna and Naples and was able to get to know the scholars in these cities. When he returned to Coburg, he found another job in the von Hönn house. Hönn also drew him in to work on his famous Fraud Lexicon , the first part of which appeared in Coburg in 1721.

After the book was published, Wetzel was called to Amsterdam by Duke Anton Ulrich von Sachsen-Meiningen as a prince tutor. In 1724 he became cabinet minister to the widowed Duchess Elisabeth Sophie von Sachsen-Meiningen in Meiningen . In December 1727 he received a call as a deacon (assistant pastor) to Römhild , which he assumed on January 1, 1728 after his ordination in Coburg on December 12, 1727 . When he criticized the usual celebration of the Gregorius festival from the pulpit in his first year , he made many enemies in the city.

Although it achieved a limitation of the celebration, it was ignored when it came to filling higher church positions. Since this was more than twenty years as he came into financial difficulties, so that his wife as a spinner the household budget fill needed. Only when the Duchess widow, whose cabinet preacher he had previously been in Meiningen, moved her widow's residence to Römhild and made him her court preacher again, did his situation improve. Later he also became an archdeacon . However, his strength was broken by hardship and illness. On the return journey from Liebenstein , where he had sought in vain to alleviate his suffering, he suddenly died in his birthplace at the age of 64.

Act

Wetzel was considered a good preacher, but was best known as a hymnologist. He was already engaged in these studies in Schleusingen and then in Halle. In this context, his hymnopoeographia or historical biography of the most famous songwriters should be mentioned. The work is originally laid out in 3 parts; It contains, in alphabetical order, biographical information about the poets of sacred songs in the German Evangelical Church, along with a list of their songs and information about their prints. The first part appeared in 1719, printed before his Italian trip with a preface from December 1718; the second 1721; the third in 1724 after his return from Amsterdam. Even if the work does not have the reliability and accuracy that was later required of such work, it must be recognized that Wetzel was very familiar with the literature in question and worked with great diligence and not without criticism.

In 1728 he provided additions and supplements in a fourth part, which is usually missing in the work. A fifth part, which was supposed to appear in 1735, and was indeed stated to have already appeared, was not published because of the publisher's death. For this, Wetzel published twelve pieces from 1751 to 1755 for reading under the title Analecta hymnica , which together comprise two volumes and have not been completed.

Wetzel also composed sacred songs himself. Most of them appeared in the collection which he published under the name of Saints and Dedicated to the Lord . These songs are also appended to the three parts of his Hymnopoeographia . Some of them have found their way into community hymn books; so the songs God cares for me, what should I care and My God, I live in serious worries , both of which were, for example, in the Hanoverian hymn book from 1740. None of them is represented in hymn books in use today.

Works

  • The now living scholarly Coburg, with related writings, remarks and epitaphs, by Antonio Coburgero. Itzipoli (Coburg) 1718
  • Holy fruits of devotion, in five song offerings. Coburg 1718–1722, 4th parts
  • Hymnopoeographia, or historical biography of the most famous song poets. Herrnstadt 1719–1728, 4th parts;
Part 3: Digitization of the copy from the Bavarian State Library
  • Holy wedding gift, in 12 wedding songs. Meiningen 1722
  • Singularia Weinreichiana, that is M. Joh. Michael Weinreichs, princely. Saxon. Court deacons in Meiningen, strange life and songs, as well as other spiritual poetry about the Evangelia, epistles and passion. Nuremberg 1728
Digitized copy of the copy from the Bavarian State Library
  • Hymnologia sacra, or D. Heinrich Müller's ten devout reflections on sacred songs; together with a preface from the so-called Gregorius Festival and songs. Nuremberg 1728
  • Jubilant song joy, that is, twelve reverent jubilation songs for the jubilee festival because of the Augsburg. Confession. Römhild 1730
Digitized copy of the copy in the Göttingen University Library
  • Quaestio moralis: An Festum Gregorii sit actio vana, ideoque abrogandum? Could the Gregorian festival be a sinful vanity and should therefore be abolished? Römhild 1733
  • Hymnologia passionalis, that is, four and twenty passion devotions on the song: Life given to death for us, etc. Nuremberg 1733
  • Brief history of the church, school and fire in the town of Römhild, from the beginning of the Henneberg Reformation to the present day, given for printing, etc. Römhild 1735
Digitized copy of the copy from the Bavarian State Library
  • Hymnologia polemica, that is, twenty four devotions on the song: You Prince of Peace, Lord Jesus Christ; to awaken true repentance in current wars. Arnstadt 1735
  • Grace and honor of the pious, as your Russian Kayserl. Majesty, Mrs. Anna Ivanovna, the most honored woman's mother-in-law, Mrs. Elisabetha Sophia, widowed Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and opinions, the Russian Order of Heil. Catharina is most graciously deigned to confer; in a sermon for Christians about Psalm 84,12,13. - in the princely Castle churches presented to Römhild 1738
  • Reliquiae Elisabethanae that is, Historical message of the relics and sanctuaries of salvation. Elisabeth: On the ... taking day ... of Princess Elisabetha Sophia ... Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Meiningen ... Römhild 1739
  • Talk of God's goodness and seriousness in the event of accidents. Frankfurt 1742
  • Analecta hymnica, or strange readings on the history of songs; given for printing etc. Gotha 1751–1755, 2 volumes or 12 parts
Volume 1 (1st to 6th edition) ( online )
Volume 2: Digitized version of the copy from the Bavarian State Library
  • Johann Caspar Wetzel's and sacred song writings in his library. Römhild 1748

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Römhild often erroneously stated the place of death
personal data
SURNAME Wetzel, Johann Kaspar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wezel, Johann Caspar
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Protestant theologian, hymnologist and hymn poet
DATE OF BIRTH February 22, 1691
PLACE OF BIRTH Meiningen
DATE OF DEATH August 6, 1755
Place of death Meiningen