Karl Gottlieb von Windisch

Karl Gottlieb von Windisch (Hungarian Windisch or Vindis Károly , Latin Carolus Theophil Windisch ; born January 27, 1725 in Preßburg ; † March 30, 1793 ibid) was a businessman, private scholar, editor and historian.

Karl Gottlieb Windisch, portrait from the magazine Neues Ungrisches Magazin

Life

Sociopolitical background

Although of noble origin, Carl Gottlieb von Windisch embodied the type of enlightened and proud citizen of the 18th century. His thinking was strongly influenced by the late Theresian era, but above all by rationalism and the Enlightenment ideas about Emperor Joseph II . The German bourgeoisie played a prominent role in the Kingdom of Hungary at that time . Compared to the pre-Reformation period, when the focus was mainly on Austria and southern Germany , the split in faith marked a major change. The Reformation of Martin Luther meant a new orientation in questions of faith for the Germans of old Hungary. Since then, the citizen of Old Hungary, who had become Protestant, has met all spiritual impulses from southern Germany and Austria with undisguised distrust. Although Pressburg, since the implementation of the Counter-Reformation, had mostly belonged to the Catholic, Austrian cultural area again, there was a significant Protestant, Lutheran minority within the urban fabric, which felt uncompromisingly bound to the Confessio Augustana . After all, Pressburg had one of the largest Evangelical Lutheran congregations in the entire Kingdom of Hungary. That was the spiritual atmosphere in the first half of the 18th century into which Carl Gottlieb von Windisch was born.

Young years and career

Carl Gottlieb von Windisch was (presumably) born on January 27, 1725 in Pressburg; according to the entry in the parish registers of the German Evangelical Church Community AB, he was baptized on January 28, 1725. We can only guess at the origin of the family. From the estate of his future son-in-law Ludwig Schedius it appears that the Windischs probably came from the Zips .

In 1731 Windisch began his school days at the venerable Evangelical Lyceum in Pressburg; in 1736 his father sent him to Raab to learn Hungarian. In 1738 we found him at a grammar school in Trenčín in order to learn the Slovak language. His favorite subjects were history and geography. Windisch would have liked to go to a university in Germany . His mother apparently supported this plan, but his father resisted and trained him as a merchant. In addition to his training as a businessman, he continued to study diligently privately (languages, painting, etc.) and made numerous extended trips to Austria and southern Germany (Augsburg). After his return, he entered his father's business as a businessman.

In 1747 he got married to Maria Sophie Beer, the daughter of his former teacher, and moved into his own apartment. Several children were born from this 14-year marriage, but all of them survived. His first wife died in Pressburg in 1761. In 1772 he married for the second time. His second wife was the Senator's daughter Marie Christine Bayer. From this marriage there were two daughters, the godmother of these daughters was Anna Maria Gobelius, the second wife of Wolfgang von Kempelen , with whom the family was close friends.

Mature years

Windisch developed into an able merchant, he ran a very lucrative business, mainly with hardware and wine. In addition, he maintained an intensive correspondence with many important personalities at home and abroad. He learned foreign languages ​​and worked as a private scholar. In the course of his life he held various offices in his hometown: Senator (1768), City Governor (1774). Windisch, who, in addition to German, also mastered Hungarian, Slovak, Italian, Latin and probably also English, gained increasing recognition from his fellow citizens over the years.

On April 24, 1789 he is “in the highest place by Se. Excell. the choking hen. Obergespann ” proposed and “ elected mayor by 50 votes and employed for office. ” In 1793 he was to be re-elected as mayor, but he died shortly before, on March 31, 1793. Remains of the city during his time as mayor to note that he took his duties very seriously and worked selflessly for the well-being of his fellow citizens. His nature is described in all historical sources as positive.

Windisch, editor of the Pressburger Zeitung

Title page of the Pressburger Zeitung from 1769

The newspaper system in the Danube region before Windisch was rather poor. There were several attempts to publish newspapers and magazines in old Hungary, but all of these attempts were short-lived. The oldest attempt at publishing an independent newspaper was seen by Matthias Bel , who published a weekly newspaper Nova Posoniensia written in Latin . The newspaper appeared only between July 30, 1721 and September 10, 1722. It was published by the Pressburg printer Johann Paul Royer. Mercurius , published twice a week in Ofen between 1730 and 1739 - it was an imitation of the Viennese Diarium - was also short-lived and could not hold its own.

Before the Pressburger Zeitung appeared , the educated citizens of Pressburg were dependent on reading imported magazines. Above all, one read the Wienerische Diarium , which has been published since 1703 .  However, this paper brought only sparse news from and about the then Kingdom of Hungary. The permanent presence of Archduchess Maria Christina and her husband, the governor of Hungary, Duke Albert von Sachsen-Teschen in the Pressburg Castle and the frequent visits by Maria Theresa to Pressburg, caused a certain social and cultural upswing in the city. These changes in the life of the city favored the appearance of a separate newspaper, which was to be tailored specifically to Pressburg and old Hungary. The regional parliaments, which take place regularly in Pressburg, and the associated reporting also required their own press.

At Windisch's suggestion, the Pressburger Zeitung was launched. For decades it was the authoritative journal of the German bourgeoisie in Pressburg and the surrounding area. The Pressburg printer Johann Michael Landerer was its first publisher. However, its first editor and at the same time intellectual author was Carl Gottlieb von Windisch. He held this position until 1773.

The scout

The Age of Enlightenment also found its way into the Danube region around the middle of the 18th century . The spread of Enlightenment ideas already began under Maria Theresa . And under Joseph II, the cultural influence of Vienna - known as " Josephinism " - also had an increasing effect on the cities of Hungary. And Pressburg was no exception. On the one hand, the attempts at recatholization of the Counter Reformation continued to have an effect, on the other hand, because of its proximity to Vienna, Pressburg was much more exposed to the decisive influence of the imperial city than other cities in old Hungary.

These currents also influenced the evangelical minority of Pressburg. Of course, efforts were also made here to not only maintain the high standard of education - which came from the Evangelical Lyceum - but also to improve it. The lyceum was highly regarded and a springboard for further studies in Germany, the country with the most important universities of its time. Therefore, traditionally, many theologians of what was then Upper Hungary visited Protestant theological universities in the Protestant part of Germany ( Halle , Jena ), where they got to know the ideas of theological rationalism and brought them back to their homeland. And so, already at the beginning of the 18th century, Pressburg developed into a center of rationalism, which had an important support in large parts of the Protestant faculty and clergy.

From 1714 the outstanding scholar Matthias Bel was rector of the Pressburg Evangelical Lyceum; since 1719 he was also 'First Preacher' of the German Evangelical Community AB in the city. Bel, one of the most important thinkers of his time, had a lasting enlightenment, although he - as a student of August Hermann Francke - remained deeply rooted in pietism throughout his life .

Of course, Windisch was also affected by this wave of Enlightenment, as his teachers were almost without exception supporters of Bel. And so Windisch developed into the prototype of an enlightened German citizen in old Hungary. With his diligence and creativity, he honestly tried not only to create cultural values, but also to spread them! In ideological questions he became a free thinker, which has been proven by his membership in the Masonic Lodge Zur Reinigkeit , one of the first Masonic lodges of the Empire, since 1755 . In the decade of Joseph II's reign, his enlightenment mindset was almost over-enhanced.

Windisch took a very distant attitude towards Christianity, even if he did not show it publicly. Again and again he used the catchphrase that “ one must fight against the darkness” . He felt aversion to the Catholic Church, which at times took on almost hostile features. But Windisch is also extremely dissatisfied with the form of Protestantism that existed at the time. On February 1, 1782 he wrote in a letter: “... I know my fellow believers. Without reminding them of their duties to clear out their stables as well, one cannot say anything edifying. ” From this it was evident that he wanted to reform the Lutheranism of Pressburg too.

The Enlightenment of Pressburg also wanted a new Evangelical hymn book. It was to be built on the principles of "good common sense" shaped by rationalism and the "old 'unfashionable' hymns that were useful in their time, but too dark and mystical in their conceptions or too rough in their expressions for the present day and are low " should be removed from it. The rationalists went so far that even important songs from the Reformation era were no longer represented in the new hymn book . Even Martin Luther's “ A strong castle is our God ” was not included in the new hymn book!

Windisch took an active part in this development. Preparatory work for the new hymn book was published in Pressburg as early as 1786 (collection of Christian songs and chants for the use of evangelical relatives , Pressburg 1786). This should pave the way for a new Pressburg congregation hymn book. In the church protocol of April 10, 1787, Windisch is referred to as a member of the "hymn book deputation" and by Crudy he is referred to as "secretary of the editorial committee". The intellectual originator of the entire company, however, was the then senior of the parish, Pastor Daniel von Crudy . The first edition of the hymn book with the title: New hymn and prayer book for worship use by the evangelical community in Pressburg was published in Pressburg in 1788. Because of the strong rationalistic influence that prevailed in Pressburg, this hymnbook lasted quite a long time; it reached several editions (1788, 1829); and even in the year 1880 the “Crudy's hymn book” was reprinted in Hungarian Altenburg .

The man of letters

In addition to German, Windisch also had a fairly good command of Hungarian and Slovak. Due to his versatile and extensive education, he quickly advanced to a central figure in literary life in the Kingdom of Hungary. He maintained detailed and extensive correspondence with personalities at home and abroad. In addition to his work as publisher and editor of the Preßburger Zeitung , he made a good name for himself by publishing numerous historical and geographical works, also as an author - who was internationally known at the time. He became a central figure in literary life in the Kingdom of Hungary, as evidenced by extensive correspondence. In addition to the publication of numerous historical and geographical works, his work as editor of the first (German-language) scholarly journals in the Kingdom of Hungary should be emphasized. In recognition of his academic work, he was made an honorary member of the Augsburg , Olomouc and Altdorf learned societies. During the years 1758 and 1762 he was also likely to have played a key role in founding a learned society in Pressburg. It was the Pressburg Society of Friends of Science . Windisch died in 1793. At that time he was still mayor and published his own magazine called Neues Ungrisches Magazin .

Works and writings

Newspapers and magazines published by Windisch

• Pressburger Zeitung (1764–1773)
• The friend of virtue (1767–1769)
• Preßburgisches Wochenblatt on the Spread of the Arts and Sciences (1771–1773)
• Ungrian magazine , or contributions to patriotic history, description of the earth, and natural science. 4 vols. (1781–1783, 1787)
• New Ungrian Magazine (1791–1792)

Works

Engraving from the script about Kempelen's Chess Turks

• Hanswurst. A comedy in one act. Pressburg, 1761
• The sensible pastime . Pressburg, 1770
• Political, geographical and historical description of the Kingdom of Hungarn. Pressburg, 1772 (published anonymously)
• Brief history of the Hungarians from the oldest to the present ... Pressburg, 1778
• Geography of the Kingdom of Hungary. With copper and 2 illuminated maps. 2. Vol. Pressburg, 1780
• Contemplation of the death of Her Majesty Maria Theresa before a meeting, by a Hungarian. Pressburg, 1780
• Letters about the chess player of Mr. von Kempelen, together with three copperplate engravings depicting this famous machine, published by Chr. Von Mechel ... Pressburg, 1783
• Geography and history of the Kingdom of Hungary for the youth. 3. Edition. Pressburg, 1785
• Collection of Christian songs and chants for the use of evangelical relatives. Pressburg, 1785
• New hymn and prayer book for worship use by the evangelical community in Pressburg. Pressburg, 1788
• Geography of the Grand Duchy of Transylvania. Pressburg , 1790 [authorship disputed]
• Description of the celebrations at the coronation of his emperors. Majesty Leopold the Second to the Hungarian King on November 15th. 1790. Pressburg

literature

• Constantin von Wurzbach : Windisch, Karl Gottlieb von . In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich . 56th part. Kaiserlich-Königliche Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Vienna 1888, pp. 294–296 ( digitized version ).
• Fritz Valjavec: Karl Gottlieb von Windisch. The life picture of a southeast German citizen of the Enlightenment period. Munich: Schick 1936.
• P. Rainer Rudolf, Eduard Ulreich: Karpatendeutsches Biographisches Lexikon. Working group of Carpathian Germans from Slovakia, Stuttgart 1988, ISBN 3-927096-00-8 , p. 354.
• Andrea Seidler: I'm proud of the idea of ​​publishing an Ungrian magazine… . The correspondence of Karl Gottlieb Windisch. Vienna: Habil. Masch. 2003.
• Andrea Seidler: Correspondence from Karl Gottlieb Windisch. (= Exchange of letters between the scientists from Hungary, vol. V.). Budapest: Universitas 2008.
• Jozef Tancer: In the shadow of Vienna. On the German-language press and literature in Pressburg in the 18th century. Bremen: Ed. Lumière 2008.
• Anton Klipp: Pressburg. New views on an old city. Karpatendeutsches Kulturwerk, Karlsruhe 2010, ISBN 978-3-927020-15-3 .

Web links

• Literature by and about Karl Gottlieb von Windisch in the catalog of the German National Library
• Entry about Karl Gottlieb von Windisch in the Hungarian Biographical Lexicon (MEK) of the National Széchényi Library (Hungarian)
• Biography with detailed. Catalog of works and list of older sources. In: J. Szinnyei: Magyar írók élete és munkái. I-XIV. Budapest, 1891–1914 (Hungarian)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Anton Klipp: Pressburg, New Views on an Old City, p. 170
2. ↑ Stadtarchiv Preßburg, Prot. Mag. 1789, pp. 657, 816, 855; quoted at F. Valjavec: CG v. Windisch, p. 16
3. ↑ Markusovszky Sámuel: Érdekes adatok a Bél Mátyás-féle hírlaphoz [Ger. Interesting information about the display of Matthias Bel], quoted. in Nyugatmagyarországi Híradó [ Eng . West Hungarian Anzeiger ], 1902, no. 4. From Fritz Valjavec: Karl Gottlieb von Windisch. The life picture of a southeast German citizen of the Enlightenment period. Munich: Schick 1936, p. 20 cited as "Epheremides Posoniensis".
4. ^ Anton Klipp: Pressburg ..., p. 172
5. ↑ Quoted from Valjavec: CG v. Windisch, p. 91    
6. ↑ Valjavec, ibid.
7. ↑ Crudy writes in 1787: "Senator von Windisch made the secretair" ; quoted ibid. p. 94
8. ^ Anton Klipp: Pressburg ..., p. 174ff
9. ↑ The letters received from S. Andrea Seidler: Correspondence from Karl Gottlieb Windisch. (= Correspondence between scientists from Hungary, vol. V.) Budapest: Universitas 2008
10. ^ Fritz Valjavec: Karl Gottlieb Windisch. The life picture of a southeast German citizen of the Enlightenment period. Schick, Munich 1936. p. 41.
11. ^ Digitized editions of the Pressburger Zeitung on Digitales Forum Mittel- und Osteuropa
12. ↑ This geography of Transylvania is the work of Pastor Johann Seivert, who is a friend of Windisch . It is said to have been reproduced verbatim for the most part from the manuscript of the latter. Cf. Georg Daniel Teutsch :  Seivert, Johann . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 33, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1891, p. 664 f. (here p. 665)