Johannes Meyer (Germanist)

Johannes Meyer (born December 11, 1835 in Rüdlingen ; † December 8, 1911 in Frauenfeld ) was a Swiss German studies specialist, high school teacher, archivist and historian.

Life and work

Father Konrad Meyer was a village school teacher in Rüdlingen. Since his salary was insufficient, he ran a farm and a cooperage on the side; the revision is said to have caused his early death in 1839. His son Jakob Meyer was undergoing a solid training as a village school teacher at that time, including with Bernhard Gottlieb Denzel at the Württemberg school teacher seminar in Esslingen, which he now broke off to take his father's job. He devoted particular care to the upbringing of his youngest brother Johannes, who was grateful to him for it all his life. From 1850 on, Johannes Meyer attended the grammar school of the city of Schaffhausen on the basis of a scholarship, at which some important teachers were active at that time, such as the Germanist Maximilian Wilhelm Götzinger or the mathematician Jakob Amsler-Laffon . Meyer graduated from school in 1856 and began studying German at the University of Basel with the aim of being able to quickly take up a position as a high school teacher. The old Germanic lectures by Wilhelm Wackernagel were formative ; Meyer also attended courses in the history of philosophy, Swiss federal law, French literature and especially in ancient languages. He belonged to the Zofingia student union .

For lack of money, Johannes Meyer broke off his studies in 1858 and became "auxiliary editor" for the daily newspaper for the canton of Schaffhausen . This activity does not seem to have suited his inclinations and abilities well and he ended it after a few months when he was offered a teaching position through a chance acquaintance: From 1858 to 1862 Meyer taught German, classical languages ​​and French at Gustav Schmidt's private grammar school in Fellin Livonia in the Russian Empire (today Viljandi in Estonia ); he made up for the missing teacher exam in 1859 at the University of Dorpat . In Fellin, Meyer met his future wife Susette Pfister, a teacher from Schaffhausen. In retrospect, Meyer counted the time in Fellin as one of the happiest years of his life. In 1862 Meyer moved to Paris to perfect his studies, but did not get far for lack of money and connections.

Since he did not get the job as a high school teacher in Schaffhausen, Meyer took over the editing of the liberal daily newspaper for the Canton of Schaffhausen in 1863 , although as a confessional Reformed Christian he personally thought rather conservatively. His comments on the canton's school policy earned him opposition from the cantonal government; In return, Meyer became politically active himself and was elected to the Grand Council of the Canton of Schaffhausen in 1864 and 1868 . On the condition that he give up his journalistic activity, he was employed as a teacher at the Schaffhausen boys' secondary school in 1864. Meyer's applications for high school teaching positions in his home canton failed because his journalistic polemics were added to him.

Meyer achieved his professional life goal in the neighboring canton of Thurgau , where he taught German language and history from 1869 to 1908 at the canton school in Frauenfeld , and if necessary also ancient languages. He dealt with educational and school policy issues; In the Swiss school newspaper , which he took over editing in 1871, he called for federal control over the cantonal elementary schools, which he hoped would improve, especially in the smaller cantons; the controversy over it ended with the discontinuation of the school newspaper in 1871. In 1874 Meyer was elected rector of the canton school, but gave up this office again in 1878 in order to be able to spend more time on his scientific studies. In 1880 he took over the management of the Thurgau Cantonal Archives and the Cantonal Library , which had been provided by Johann Adam Pupikofer until then .

After the death of his first wife in 1888, Meyer married Emma Moßmann, divorced Malsch, in 1891, whom he also survived. In 1911 he died of a protracted heart disease. In his will he considered the retirement, widows and orphans' funds of the teachers at the Thurgau canton school; the city of Stein am Rhein inherited his book estate .

Scientific and journalistic work

Johannes Meyer, who was described by contemporaries as an outspoken scholarly nature, left behind a varied written work. Pedagogical considerations as to how Swiss children should be taught the high German written language are behind his language book for higher national schools . His two-volume history of Swiss federal law grew out of his teacher training , for which he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1883 .

Meyer earned lasting merit with his contributions to the regional history of Thurgau and the wider Lake Constance area. After retiring from politics, he was only active in public in two associations, albeit in a decisive manner for decades: from 1870 he belonged to the Historical Association of the Canton of Thurgau , and from 1880 as president and editor of the Thurgau Contributions to Patriotic History . Shortly before his death, the association made him honorary president. On behalf of the association, Meyer developed the second volume of the Thurgau Document Book as well as the basis for the following volume. In 1886 Meyer joined the Association for the History of Lake Constance and the Surrounding Area through the mediation of Count Eberhard von Zeppelin, and from then on represented Switzerland on its board. In 1898 he followed Gustav Reinwald as editor of the writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . A substantial part of Meyer's regional oeuvre is recorded in the two club magazines that he edited himself. Occasionally, as editor, he let samples of his humor flow into the forewords, for example when he recorded the 30th general meeting of the Bodensee-Geschichtsverein in Überlingen in 1899 in skilful early New High German and signed it as "Hans Villicus, the fryen künste doctor ze Gynäcopedium".

Fonts (selection)

Monographs

• Thurgau document book. Published by resolution and event of the Thurgau Historical Society. Volume 2: 1000-1246. Huber, Frauenfeld 1882–1885.
• The three tents. A contribution to the history of old farming (= program supplement of the Thurgau Canton School . 1890) ( digitized version ).
• History of Swiss Federal Law. Volume 1: The old times until 1798. Westfehling, Winterthur 1878.
• History of Swiss Federal Law. Volume 2: The period from 1798–1874. Westfehling, Winterthur 1875.
• News from the life of the Mayor of Schaffhausen Dr. Heinrich Schwarz (1562–1629) (= supplement to the program of the Schaffhausen secondary school . Easter 1868).
• German language book for higher Abroad primary schools, I. and II. Course . Brodtmannsche Buchhandlung, Schaffhausen 1866 ( digitized version ).
• The Schaffhausen Judgment Letter. The oldest statutes of the city from 1291 . Brodtmannsche Buchhandlung, Schaffhausen 1857 ( digitized ).

Essays

• Dr. Max Wilhelm Götzinger, a German linguist. His life and work in word and writing. In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 40, 1911, pp. 141-247 ( digitized version ).
• Salomon Fehr and the creation of the thurg. Restoration constitution of July 28, 1814 (final). In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 51, 1911, pp. 49-132 ( digitized version ).
• From Michel Montaigne's journey through Switzerland, southern Germany and Italy. From Basel to Lindau. In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 39, 1910, pp. 43-78 ( digitized version ).
• Salomon Fehr and the development of the Thurgau Restoration Constitution of July 28, 1814. Part I. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 50, 1910, pp. 1-145 ( digitized version ).
• The Thurgauer Lied, its poet and composer. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 49, 1909, pp. 96-106 ( digitized version ).
• Queen Hortense and Prince Ludwig Napoleon. Edited from the sources. In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 35, 1906, pp. 123-307 ( digitized version ).
• Gregor Mangolts Fischbuch. Zurich, printed by Andeas and Jakob Geßner, 1557. Reprint. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 45, 1905, pp. 119-186 ( digitized version ).
• What is tit? In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 44, 1904, pp. 103-114 ( digitized version ).
• –Will or –because? In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 44, 1904, pp. 115-125 ( digitized version ).
• History of the castle Kastell. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 43, 1903, pp. 70-191 ( digitized version ).
• On the etymology of the name Schaffhausen. In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 31, 1902, pp. 25-46 ( digitized version ).
• History of the German settlement of the Hegau and Klettgau, especially in their Schaffhausen parts, from the immigration of the Swabians to the foundation of the Allerheiligen monastery, approx. 298-1050 . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 30, 1901, pp. 33-118 ( digitized version ).
• Dean Kuhn 1829–1901. Obituary. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 41, 1901, pp. 1-4 ( digitized version ).
• Councilor Leiner 1830–1901. Obituary. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 41, 1901, pp. 5-9 ( digitized version ).
• Johann Adam Pupikofer. Contributions to his biography (conclusion). Works and finds. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 41, 1901, pp. 13-128 ( digitized version ).
• The oldest opening of the municipality of Arbon in 1255. I. 29. including a certified translation made by the town clerk Graf in Zurich in 1436. V. 10.. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 41, 1901, pp. 129-139 ( digitized version ).
• A dispute about the uses of the village mark in Schwarza along with the letter from 1260. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 40, 1900, pp. 49-64 ( digitized version ).
• Opening of Obergailingen. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 40, 1900, pp. 65-72 ( digitized version ).
• Johann Adam Pupikofer. Contributions to his biography (continued). In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 40, 1900, pp. 73-134 ( digitized version ).
• Hermann Stähelin 1842–1899. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 39, 1899, pp. 1-11 ( digitized version ).
• Johann Adam Pupikofer. Contributions to his biography. The Thurgau non-profit society and the first New Year's paper. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 39, 1899, pp. 108-170 ( digitized version ).
• About the emphasis on the reinforced 'to'. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 26, 1898, pp. 257-263.
• Thurgau Chronicle from 1894 . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 25, 1897, pp. 78-82 ( digitized version ).
• Johann Adam Pupikofer. Contributions to his biography. The candidate of theology. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 37, 1897, pp. 97-184 ( digitized version ).
• Johann Adam Pupikofer. The student in Zurich. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 36, 1896, pp. 50-105 ( digitized version ).
• Johann Adam Pupikofer. Contributions to his biography. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 35, 1895, pp. 69-155 ( digitized version ).
• Thurgau Chronicle from 1893 . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 23, 1894, pp. 79-82 ( digitized version ).
• Order vischens half in Lake Constance 1544. Copy in the Lucerne canton archive, Thurgau files. See Eidgen. Farewells Vol. IV., Abth. 1 d, pp. 413-415. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 34, 1894, pp. 99-113 ( digitized version ).
• Thurgau Chronicle from 1892 . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 22, 1893, pp. 103-108 ( digitized version ).
• Thurgau Chronicle from 1891 . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 21, 1892, pp. 236-243 ( digitized version ).
• Extract from the Thurgauian literature from 1891 . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 21, 1892, pp. 255-258 ( digitized version ).
• Together with Hermann Stähelin: About the Inful of the abbot of Kreuzlingen in the thurg. historical collection. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 32, 1892, pp. 57-60 ( digitized version ).
• Together with Anton Birlinger : The big anniversary on the Wurmlinger Berg. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 19, 1892, pp. 49-69.
• The castles and old palaces on the Untersee, from Reichlingen to Salenstein. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 31, 1891, pp. 29-118 ( digitized version ).
• Huldreich Gustav Sulzberger. Directory of the historical work of HG Sulzberger. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 29, 1890, pp. 83-89 ( digitized version ).
• A Burgundian breviary (with a facsimile in color print). In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 29, 1890, pp. 95-141 ( digitized version ).
• Bookseller Andreas Pecht, a victim of Napoleonic violence . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 18, 1889, pp. 8-33 ( digitized version ).
• Poetry in the old Thurgau law. Lecture given at the annual meeting in Dießenhofen on July 16, 1889. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 29, 1889, pp. 5-50 ( digitized version ).
• Directory of the elderly thurg. Legal sources. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 29, 1889, pp. 51-66 ( digitized version ).
• Maps of the Landgraviate of Thurgau. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 29, 1889, pp. 67-82 ( digitized version ).
• The castles near Weinfelden (from the opening words of the association's meeting in Weinfelden. July 23, 1888. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 28, 1888, pp. 4-44 ( digitized version )).
• Opening of the Tobel house on May 25, 1486. ​​Parchment manuscript in the Thurgau canton archive, Comthurei Tobel, drawer II, Fasc. V, No. 19. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 28, 1888, pp. 71-114 ( digitized version ).
• Pronunciation of High German in the XVII. Century according to the French view. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 17, 1888, pp. 137-143.
• Lessing and the French. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 17, 1888, pp. 157-160.
• Letters from JA Pupikofer to J. von Laßberg. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 16, 1888, pp. 1-32.
• Together with Hermann Stähelin: The papal flag of the city of Frauenfeld from 1512. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 27, 1887, pp. 144-169 ( digitized version ).
• Correspondence between J. von Laßberg and Joh. Adam Pupikofer. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 15, 1887, pp. 231-288.
• From Büchmann's winged words. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 13, 1885, pp. 45-48.
• Frogs breastfeed as happy service. In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history. Volume 23, 1883, pp. 102-114 ( digitized version ).
• From Grimm's wisdom. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 11, 1883, pp. 45-49.
• Report by a contemporary on the battle of Nanzig and the death of Charles the Bold, from an old French manuscript in the National Library in Paris. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 10, 1882, pp. 137-142.
• Fragments of a passion. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 9, 1881, pp. 1-5.
• To the Reichenau chronicler Gallus uncle. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 9, 1881, p. 274.
• Alachmannen or Allemanns. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 7, 1879, pp. 261-288.
• The city book of Schaffhausen. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 5, 1877, pp. 1-32, pp. 203-234; Volume 6, 1878, pp. 228-283.
• Land of the Rheinau monastery. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 4, 1876, pp. 106-144, pp. 212-236.
• Klettgau, borders and culture. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 1, 1873, pp. 137-185.
• Wedding customs. A bride from the Klettgau. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 1, 1873, pp. 202-208.
• Field names from German heroism. In: Alemannia. Journal of the language, literature and folklore of Alsace and the Upper Rhine. Volume 1, 1873, pp. 262-263.
• Look into the older history of Rüdlingen. In: The Unoth. Journal for the history and antiquity of the Schaffhausen estate. Volume 1, 1868, pp. 1-26 ( digitized version ).
• Souls and flowers. In: The Unoth. Journal for the history and antiquity of the Schaffhausen estate. Volume 1, 1868, pp. 101-142 ( digitized version ).
• Esther von Waldkirch. In: The Unoth. Journal for the history and antiquity of the Schaffhausen estate. Volume 1, 1868, pp. 210-215 ( digitized version ).
• St. Bernhard von Clairvaux in Schaffhausen in the year 1146. In: Der Unoth. Journal for the history and antiquity of the Schaffhausen estate. Volume 1, 1868, pp. 224-260 ( digitized version ).
• The oldest 14 documents of the canton of Schaffhausen from the years 779–995. In: The Unoth. Journal for the history and antiquity of the Schaffhausen estate. Volume 1, 1868, pp. 422-447 ( digitized version ).

literature

• Friedrich Schaltegger : Dr. Johannes Meyer † . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 41, 1912, pp. VII-XIV ( digitized version )
• Gustav Büeler: Dr. Johannes Meyer 1835-1911 . In: Thurgauian contributions to patriotic history . Volume 52, 1912, pp. 1-62, with a detailed bibliography on pp. 53-62 ( digitized version ).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Johannes Meyer: Vorred to the inclined reader . In: Writings of the Association for the History of Lake Constance and its Surroundings . Volume 29, 1900, pp. V-IX ( digitized version ).