Johann Schilter

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Johann Schilter
Book by Böckler with a foreword by Johann Schilter

Johann Schilter (born August 29, 1632 in Pegau an der Elster, † May 14, 1705 in Strasbourg ) is a German legal scholar and archaeologist.

Live and act

Johann Schilter came during the Thirty Years' War on August 29, 1632 as the son of the businessman Marcus Schilter and Barbara Schilter, née. Strauch, the sister of the Jena lawyer Johann Strauch , was born in Pegau. Just three weeks after the birth, the family fled to Leipzig and then to Dresden because of the war unrest, where his father died within a year of a disease that was constantly occurring there.

His mother married the council and Leipzig provost administrator Johann Hartmann soon after, but he died a few months after the marriage. When his mother also died in 1639, he came to his uncle in Leipzig at the age of seven and was brought up with his son. In 1652 he studied philosophy in Jena . In 1653, chaired by Professor Johann Philipp Slevogt , he defended the thesis de syllogism ex hypothesi with great skill. This scientifically led dispute stirred up so much dust in learned Jena that he had to continue his philosophy studies at the University of Leipzig . In 1655 he successfully earned the degree of doctor in philosophy in Leipzig and returned to Jena, where, on the instructions of his uncle, he devoted himself exclusively to the five-year study of law. At the end of 1659 he was a lawyer in Naumburg . In 1660 he became engaged to the daughter of the city judge and merchant in Saalfeld, Anna Sybilla Bores, whom he later married. He soon swapped his Naumburg law firm with the heir and state chancellery in Zeitz , Saxony , before becoming a clerk in Ruhla in 1668 . In 1671 he became a doctor of both rights in Jena. He immediately followed a call from Duke Bernhard von Sachsen-Meiningen as court and consistorial counselor and was also given the chamber affairs. With the Duke's death in 1678, this employment relationship ended and became a member of the Jena Consistory.

Although the marriage had four children, his marriage was unhappy. His wife was described by contemporaries as "bitterly angry", who repeatedly exposed him publicly. As a result of these disputes, he moved as a private citizen from Jena to Frankfurt am Main , where he was appointed councilor and honorary professor at the University of Strasbourg at the end of July 1686. As a council counselor, like a public prosecutor general, he had to examine all legal matters submitted to the Senate of Strasbourg and give an opinion before the decision was taken. In 1695 he wrote Introductio in jus feodale , which he dedicated to the city of Strasbourg and for which he received a silver vessel with the city's coat of arms worth 100 thalers in recognition. When a chair at the law faculty at the University of Strasbourg became vacant in February 1699, he received a full seat and vote in the law faculty in recognition of his achievements, as well as a load of old white wine from the city cellars as an annual special service at his own request . In 1699 his wife died too. His household was run by Susanna Catharina Dieudonné, who was the daughter of his friend and bailiff Dieudonné and whom he had adopted after the death of his own daughter Susanna Sybilla.

In recent years Johann Schilter was plagued by gout and stone pains, so that he had to stay in bed and even gave lectures in bed. Most recently, his sick room became a lecture hall, which was very popular with students. Johann Schilter died on the afternoon of May 14, 1705 at the age of 72. The solemn funeral took place on May 17, 1705 with great sympathy, at which the University Rector Johann Philipp Bartenstein gave the defamation, which ended with the words: Vos vives Academici, tanti viri jacturam dolete, memoriam sacra veneratione colite, corpusque sepulchro inferendum frequenti multitudine sequimini .

On the first anniversary of his death, Professor of Law Johann Heinrich Feltz gave the Oratio parentalis and some students wrote mourning poems in German and Latin.

meaning

Johann Schilter was hailed as a “German Papinian ” by his peers at the time , while practitioners ironically called him “word king”. It is undisputed, however, that with 45 writings he was a versatile, knowledgeable and astute legal scholar who broke new ground in feudal law , which later legal scholars followed him. His books saw numerous editions and are considered classics in some areas such as canon law.

Well-known portraits

Three portraits by Johann Schilter are known, which were made by the artists JJ Haid (Augsburg), Bernigeroth (Leipzig) and Joh. Adam Seupel (1662–1717, Strasbourg).

swell

Works (selection)

Ad Jo. Adami Struvii Syntagma iuris feudalis notae , 1704

literature

  • Gunter Wesener : On Johann Schilter's (1632–1705) doctrine of methods, sources of law and private law . In: Borut Holcman, Markus Steppan (ed.): Festschrift for Gernot Kocher on his 75th birthday. "... I called you by your name and gave you names of honor" (Isa 45, 4) . University of Maribor Press 2017, pp. 457-474.
  • Based on preliminary work by Ortwin Zillgen, edited and compiled by Hermann Schueling: Directory of letters to Johann Schilter (1632–1705) in the University Library of Gießen: Cod. Giess. 140, 141 and 142 , Giessen 1979.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Schilter, Johann
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Schilterus, Johannes; Schilterus, Joannes; Schilterus, Ioannes; Schilterianus, Johannes; Schilter, Johannes; Schilterus, Joh .; Schilter, Ioannes; Schilterus, Jo .; Schilter, Johann S.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Legal scholar
DATE OF BIRTH August 29, 1632
PLACE OF BIRTH Pegau
DATE OF DEATH May 14, 1705
Place of death Strasbourg