Leberecht Uhlich

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Leberecht Uhlich

Johann Jacob Markus Leberecht Uhlich (born February 27, 1799 in Köthen (Anhalt) , † March 23, 1872 in Magdeburg ) was a theologian , founder of the Friends of Light and co-founder of the free religious movement .

Life

education

Born as the son of the tailor couple Johann Christlieb Leberecht Uhlich and Maria Elisabeth Heitmann, Leberecht Uhlich first attended school in his hometown. His family relationships were simple, although his parents gave him an insight into the world of mansion through their employment with the noble Pfister family. Already in school he came into contact with the rationalism formulated by the Enlightenment ( Immanuel Kant ) . A school essay with the title: "About the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism" (Magdeburg City Archives) shows the influence that rationalism has had on him. Uhlich studied from May 1817 theology at the University of Halle , which he had chosen because of its focus on theological rationalism. There he paid particular attention to professors Julius August Ludwig Wegscheider (1771–1849), Wilhelm Gesenius (1786–1842) and August Hermann Niemeyer (1754–1828).

Pastors in Diebzig and Pommelte

Apartment in Pommelte from Die Gartenlaube 1873

Uhlich then went back to his hometown Köthen and worked there as a teacher from 1820 to 1824. In 1824 he got his first job as a pastor in nearby Diebzig (Anhalt). After Duke Ferdinand von Anhalt-Köthen converted to Catholicism , Uhlich clearly acknowledged Protestantism . Since he could no longer expect funding afterwards, he switched to the Prussian regional church and in 1827 became pastor in Pommelte . His daughter, the later writer and women's rights activist Clara Wilhelmine Uhlich , was born here. There he was a popular and committed pastor who was even considered more of a pietist due to his commitment . He was practically unknown in public. He held well-attended Bible studies in the evenings. The participants were free to address all religious and ecclesiastical issues.

Foundation of the friends of light

However, his actually rationalistic beliefs brought him into opposition to widespread Pietism . In connection with the Magdeburg Bilderstreit in which the priest also rationalist Wilhelm Franz Sintenis (1794-1859) harsh disciplinary measures suffered, founded Uhlich on June 29, 1841 Gnadau the Association of Protestant friends , who as the Friends of Light was called. The association, which was initially only founded with 15 other pastors as an internal church opposition, soon gained a lot of influence even among lay people and became a mass movement. Mainly through Uhlich's work , local associations of friends of light emerged within a few years in the Prussian province of Saxony , but also in other regions . Since 1842 Uhlich has also published the sheets for Christian edification .

In the early days of the German March Revolution of 1848 , the association became increasingly political. Under Gustav Adolf Wislicenus from Halle (Saale) a democratic-actionist wing was formed within the association. Although Uhlich had concerns about the state and church reaction, he showed solidarity with Wislicenus. Uhlich was then accused in various brochures of being a sworn theologian who had already left Christianity . Uhlich protested against this in his work Confessions from 1845. There he summarized his liberal, rationalist stance. The work had a significant influence on the Evangelical Provincial Synod of 1844 and the Prussian General Synod of 1846 .

This argument gave the movement further impetus. At meetings in 1845, Uhlich sometimes spoke to several thousand people. Against this background, the meetings of the Friends of Light in Prussia were banned on August 10, 1845.

Pastor at the Sankt-Katharina-Kirche in Magdeburg

Supporters of the Friends of Light movement within the Magdeburg citizenship then enforced against the church leadership that Uhlich was appointed to the vacant second preacher position at the Magdeburg Sankt-Katharinen-Kirche from October 1, 1845 . Uhlich used the forum given to him to criticize the Prussian church and state system. His sermons were very popular. The church was often overcrowded and some of the enthusiastic listeners could not hold all of them.

Uhlich's sermons and faith

Uhlich's success was also based on his clear, popular language. Nor did he limit himself to quoting passages from the Bible, but instead used examples from everyday life. In terms of content, Uhlich deviated from the current church doctrine in a rationalistic way at several points. So after him there was no redemption through the death of Jesus. For him, Jesus was only human and not the Son of God. He also denied the miracles presented in the New Testament and explained them with natural occurrences.

Impeachment

As in his time in Pommelte, Uhlich, who was also heavily involved in local club life, organized so-called evening meetings in his private rooms from October 1846 . Because of their oppositional tendencies, these meetings were already banned by the state on December 20, 1846, but were later permitted again with the condition that no discussions about church politics were held. Uhlich responded by placing more emphasis on his views. There was a constant disregard for the ecclesiastical liturgy . The already existing conflict with the church consistory under Consistorial President Carl Friedrich Göschel was intensified. At the end of 1846 the church leadership decided to take action against Uhlich; a disciplinary investigation has been launched. Uhlich was asked to explain his lectures, his religious views and the deviations from the prescribed liturgy. Only after several reminders did Uhlich comply with the request. The Easter sermon in 1847 was of particular importance. Uhlich preached here, according to the current rationalist view, that the death of Jesus was only an apparent death . Since the deviations from the liturgy were continued, Uhlich was removed from office on September 13, 1847 for “gross violation of the church order”. Large sections of the population supported Uhlich. For fear of riots, Uhlich was removed from office in Magdeburg. When Uhlich got back to the city's train station, 10,000 people greeted him and escorted him to his apartment. Liberal city councilors applied for Uhlich to be granted honorary citizenship . Mayor August Wilhelm Francke declined this. The church elders, city councilors and the city's magistrate supported King Friedrich Wilhelm IV for an annulment of this decision, but without success. The king himself had taken part in the dismissal in the background.

Preacher of the Free Congregation Magdeburg

After the negative decision became known, on November 29, 1847 112 people left the Prussian regional church at the same time. They founded the Free Congregation Magdeburg and asked Uhlich to accept the position as preacher. Thereupon Uhlich also declared his resignation from the regional church and became a preacher of the free community. At the beginning of 1848, 8,000 people belonged to this community. The largest free community in Germany was created. Through Consistorial President Göschel and Police President Ludwig von Kamptz , the church and the state tried to counteract the community with drastic means. This led to a further increase in the tense atmosphere in the city, with the result that on 15./16. March 1848 the revolution also began in Magdeburg.

Symbol of the March Revolution

Father Uhlich became the regional, moderation-conscious symbol of the revolution. On March 18, 1848, Uhlich was made an honorary citizen of Magdeburg. The city of Haldensleben also made him an honorary citizen. Uhlich was a member of the Prussian National Assembly for the Neuhaldensleben district . Uhlich stood up for a democratic constitutional monarchy and was assigned to the left center. Although Uhlich thus strived for strong political and social changes, he rejected radical and violent actions.

After the dissolution of parliament, he returned to Magdeburg. Together with fellow campaigners from the Free Congregation , he joined the Association for the Protection of People's Rights, which was founded to ward off the counter-revolution .

Work and belief after the failure of the revolution

The Free Congregation had radicalized under the second preacher Heinrich Sachse. Uhlich, too, gradually gave up his belief in a personal God and immortality. He represented a religion of pure humanity .

After the failure of the revolution, Uhlich collected money for like- minded people who had fled to Switzerland . Both the community and Uhlich were subjected to severe repression . Uhlich was constantly being charged with trifles. He was acquitted in a first trial for libel of majesty . However, 15 other trials followed, some of which resulted in fines or imprisonment.

Uhlich supported the Free Congregation with his private, just inherited fortune to build a parish hall. The community was banned as a political overthrow association in 1856 after lengthy court cases . Although the community was re-established in 1859, it could no longer follow on from its importance from the days before the March. In 1861 it had 1,090 members.

Uhlich campaigned in 1859 for the establishment of the Federation of Free Religious Congregations . Although impoverished, he remained popular and was invited to lecture tours across Europe.

He also wrote various religious and educational treatises and was involved in educational and workers' education associations . From 1867 on, he was chairman of the Germania workers' education association.

He died in 1872 after a brief illness.

Funeral and honor

His burial took place in the Magdeburg North Cemetery next to many Magdeburg dignitaries. The city of Magdeburg named a street in his honor as Uhlichstraße .

Works (selection)

literature

Web links

Commons : Leberecht Uhlich  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Uhlich, Leberecht
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Uhlich, Johann Jacob Marcus Leberecht
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German theologian
DATE OF BIRTH February 27, 1799
PLACE OF BIRTH Koethen (Anhalt)
DATE OF DEATH March 23, 1872
Place of death Magdeburg