Karl Dehner

Karl Dehner (born August 24, 1862 in Thanheim , † April 19, 1914 in Sigmaringendorf ) was a German historian , headmaster and local researcher in the region of the Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen .

Life

Karl Dehner grew up in Thanheim (today a district of Bisingen ) at the foot of the Hohenzollern . In 1882 he passed his first service examination at the state teacher training college in Boppard on the Rhine . Until 1898 he was employed at various schools in Hohenzollern , including seven and a half years in Hochberg . In 1898 he took over the post of headmaster, combined with the organist service , in Sigmaringendorf. Dehner lived there until his death in 1914.

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Dehner made many contributions to his homeland in the Hohenzollern. Home and church were close to his heart. During his time in Hochberg, for example, he selflessly campaigned for the new chapel there, as a report from the Hochberg community archive shows:

“It was also he who sang the song of Hochberg's church hardship in the whole of Zollerland and beyond, and who tuned people's hearts to mild charity; It was he who himself did not shy away from sacrifice and effort, who was not ashamed to appear at a village collection and to appear as beggars for the new Hochberger chapel building with all his colleagues and in this way to collect a nice sum. "

- Hochberg municipal archive

In Sigmaringendorf, Dehner built up a collection of scientific exhibits for school lessons that was unusually large for the time, was involved in the secular and the church community and was active on the board of the local branch of the Swabian Alb Association from 1899 until his death . He was co-editor of a new reader for the older elementary school students and chairman of the Sigmaringen district teachers' association . But Dehner was best known for his work as a historian and author . In addition to his work as a school director, he spent many years searching through files from parish and community archives in the vicinity, the princely and state archives in Sigmaringen and above all monastery archives, namely the Mehrerau monastery, which is closely connected to the history of Sigmaringendorf . All this work resulted in many historical writings, the most famous of which is the Dehnersche Chronik , a comprehensive history of the community of Sigmaringendorf.

The Dehnersche Chronik, reissued in 1982

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The chronicle of the community Sigmaringendorf 1249–1912 is Dehner's main work. It appeared in three volumes: 1249–1727; 1728-1814 and 1815-1912. The Dehnersche Chronik, which was reissued in an anthology in 1982 with the addition of the years 1913–1981, is the most important evidence of the history of Sigmaringendorf and Laucherthal and one of the most comprehensive historical collections in the region. Dehner wrote many other writings from the field of history and local history, including the works Das Schlößchen Ratzenhofen in Sigmaringendorf , Der Fürstliche Tiergarten Josefslust , Allerlei vom Wusthau , Das Schlösschen Inzigkofen and monasteries and castles in the area . For the 200th anniversary of the Fürstlich Hohenzollerischen Hüttenwerke Laucherthal , he wrote a highly regarded commemorative publication in 1908, which presented the history of the largest steelworks in the region. He also regularly published the results of his research in regional daily newspapers. Dehner's collections of writings, files and pictures are still part of the Sigmaringen District Archives .

Awards

Dehner's services to the homeland were widely praised. The gratitude of the home community Sigmaringendorf was expressed in particular by the fact that they posthumously made their former headmaster an honorary citizen and a street named Karl-Dehner-Strasse after him.

Homeland attachment

Dehner's work outside of school was characterized by a great love of home. It is an example of the solidarity and loyalty of people to ecclesiastical and secular authorities in Hohenzollern at the end of the 19th century . Even if he was rewarded for his publications and lecturing (he was an often invited speaker in his day), it was not the main driver of his work. As a headmaster, he had a secure income. From the nature of his activities it is rather clear that his commitment resulted from patriotism and passion, as the closing words of his Dehner Chronicle, written by himself, express. There Dehner describes his motivation for creating the chronicle as follows:

“Just as our ancestors fought hard for their treasure, their home, so we too must bravely work side by side to protect our home. It is true that it is not an external enemy that threatens them; it comes from within and is therefore all the worse. It is the dark forces that have been secretly at work for many years - and unfortunately not without success - to overthrow the throne and the altar. Knowing well that one must first undermine the foundation, they endeavor to tear the love of home from the hearts of the people. (...) It was hot homeland love that had made us research the past of our beloved Zollernländchen for many years, and which then put the pen into our hands to write the history of our hometown. May the book therefore evoke in all who read it what we aimed at: increasing the love of one's homeland and thus true love of the country. (...) Should this come true to some extent, then the author would be very happy and richly compensated for his much effort and work. Lord God! "

- Karl Dehner, closing words to Dehner's Chronicle, 1912

Individual evidence

1. ↑ History of the Swabian Alb Association Sigmaringendorf ( Memento of the original from February 23, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ^ District archive Sigmaringen inventory overview , accessed on September 18, 2012
3. ↑ Site plan Sigmaringendorf ( Memento from October 7, 2008 in the Internet Archive )

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• Karl Dehner: Chronicle of the community Sigmaringendorf, issue 3 - 1815-1912 . Sigmaringendorf, 1913.
• Oskar Gulde: Chronicle of the community Sigmaringendorf, 1913–1981 . Sigmaringendorf, 1982.
• Edwin E. Weber: Sigmaringendorf: Contributions to the history of a Hohenzollern farming and industrial place . Sigmaringendorf, 2002.
• Homepage of the community Sigmaringendorf