Michael Walther the Younger

Michael Walther the Younger (born March 3, 1638 in Aurich ; † January 21, 1692 in Wittenberg ) was a German mathematician and Lutheran theologian.

Live and act

Born as the son of Michael Walther the Elder and his wife Margaretha, the daughter of the Osterwiker city judge Matthias Gleißenberger, he initially enjoyed an excellent education in the vicinity of his parents. At the age of 16 he moved to the University of Helmstedt and three years later on April 22, 1656, he moved to the University of Wittenberg , where on October 13, 1659 he acquired the academic degree of a master's degree in philosophical sciences. He then held lectures himself and was admitted to the philosophical faculty as an adjunct on November 25, 1661 . As early as 1664 he had been proposed for the professorship of lower mathematics in Wittenberg.

However, since he did not get the vacant position at the time, he went on an educational trip through Germany in 1665, during which he made the acquaintance of extensive libraries and the recognized men of contemporary history. On his return to Wittenberg, the death of Christoph Notnagel in 1666 made the position of higher mathematics vacant, for which Walther applied and was the only applicant to take it on in July with the recommendation of the university. The electoral confirmation of his request did not take place until August. After the death of Johann Erich Ostermann in 1668 he took over the supervision of the electoral scholarship holders. In his position as a mathematics teacher, he also tried to set up an observatory in Wittenberg for the elector. He wanted to build this on the roof of the Augusteum . However, the idea failed, especially since the financial means were lacking.

He would have been gladly won over to the rector's office at the Szczecin grammar school, and he was also offered the position of professor of theology, including the general superintendent in Greifswald, and the general superintendent in Aurich. However, he refused them all. After Johann Friedrich Mayer left his professorship and Abraham Calov died, the theological faculty was replaced. In 1687, as a loyal follower of Lutheran orthodoxy, Walther took on the full fourth theological professorship and was associated with this as inspector of the electoral scholarship holders. Then he acquires on 12 August 1687 the licentiate in theology will be officially added to the theological faculty on August 15, was ordained on September 2, it began on 25 September with lectures and received his doctorate at December 15, 1687 for Doctor of theology.

Walther held his lectures mostly in Latin. However, when he talked about history or biographies, he spoke in clear German. As an early forerunner, he contributed to the fact that the German language began to establish itself at universities. Walther, who is one of the typical representatives of Lutheran orthodoxy and as such was active in the endeavor to crystallize the claim to sole representation, should not be viewed as contentious, intolerant and deluded. He acted according to his time from the perspective of his personal environment. Even if Lutheran Orthodoxy failed because of the legal claim to be the only true theology.

This historical context should always be reflective of similar modern claims in Christian theology. Therefore, dealing with Lutheran theology is still explosive today, especially in that context. Walther also took part in the university's organizational tasks; For example, he held the office of dean of the philosophical faculty four times every semester , was twice vice dean of the theological faculty, and in the summer semester of 1676 and in the winter semester of 1690 twice rector of the university . After his death he was buried in the castle church of Wittenberg , where an epitaph was erected for him, which seems to have been lost during the bombardment in 1760.

family

Walther was married several times. His first marriage was on March 30, 1668 with Euphrosine († March 16, 1673 in Wittenberg), the daughter of Konrad Viktor Schneider . Known from this marriage are the children Michael Conrad (born February 28, 1669 in Wittenberg; † January 26, 1683 in Wittenberg), Euphrosine Sophie (born March 25, 1671 in Wittenberg) and Anne Juliane (born March 7, 1673 in Wittenberg; † February 12, 1683 ibid).

His second marriage was on June 6, 1680 with Anne Margarethe (born November 19, 1658 in Wittenberg; † February 8, 1683 in Wittenberg), the daughter of his former predecessor in the professorship of mathematics Christoph Notnagel and his wife Elisabeth, the daughter of the assessor at the Wittenberg Law Faculty Christian Kremberg. Known from this marriage are the children Elenora Christin (* † June 27, 1681 in Wittenberg, after birth and baptism) and Amalie Beathe (* April 28, 1682 in Wittenberg, † September 19, 1682 in Wittenberg).

His third marriage was on October 28, 1684 with the daughter Anna Coecilia (* 1665; † November 2, 1688), the daughter of Johann Deutschmann . The children Johann Christian (born June 12, 1686 in Wittenberg) and Augustin Friedrich Walther are known here .

His fourth marriage was on April 16, 1691 with Christina Leyser, b. Strauch (April 6, 1652 - October 18, 1711, daughter of Augustin Strauch ), widow of Wilhelm Leyser . No children are known from this marriage.

Selection of works

His written work is extensive. His son, Leipzig professor Augustin Friedrich Walther, donated his unpublished writings to the Leipzig University Library.

Analecta mathematico-philosophica.
Diss. De Eclypsibus
De Cometis
De longitrudine geographica
De zona torrida
De aureo numero
De via Sabbathi
De Fidei Nicenae veritate, antiquitate & necessitate
De justitia inhaerente
Quid circa clavem ligantem liceat.
De fide ba ptizatorum infantum
De jesu ante Mariam
De Catechizatione Veterum
De concursu Dei
De Satisfactionis Christi certitudine ex ...
De abussu distictionis inter praesentiam intimam & extimam
De Disputationibus Academicis
De disimilitudine ortus nostri & Christi homnis
De Christi homnis ...
De novo legislators Christo contra Socinianos & Arminianos
Disq. math, de mutuis siderum radiationihus, quas vulgo aspectos vocant. Wittenberg 1660
Diss, astron. de eclipsihus in genere, et solis in specie. Wittenberg 1680

literature

Walter Friedensburg : History of the University of Wittenberg. Max Niemeyer, Halle (Saale) 1917
Heinz Kathe : The Wittenberg Philosophical Faculty 1502–1817 (= Central German Research. Volume 117). Böhlau, Cologne / Weimar / Vienna 2002, ISBN 3-412-04402-4 .
Johann Christian Poggendorff : Biographical-literary concise dictionary for the history of the exact sciences. Johann Ambrosius Barth, Leipzig 1863, 2nd vol., Column 1258 ( online )
Johann Christoph Erdmann : Biographies and literary news from the wittenberg theologians since the foundation of the university in 1502 up to the third centenary Säcularfeyer in 1802: from the registers and other credible documents; a contribution to the kursächs. Reformation and Church History. Verlag Zimmermann, Wittenberg 1804
Paul Tschackert : Walther, Michael jun. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 41, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1896, p. 120 f.
Funeral sermon given by Caspar Löscher on January 31, 1692 ( online )
Robert Eitner: Biographical-bibliographical source lexicon of musicians and music scholars of the Christian era. Breitkopf and Härtel, Leipzig 1904, 10th volume, p. 172 f.
Walther, Michael, an Evangelical Doctor. In: Johann Heinrich Zedler : Large complete universal lexicon of all sciences and arts . Volume 52, Leipzig 1747, column 1857–1861.

Web links

Publications by and about Michael Walther the Younger in VD 17 .

Individual evidence

^ Bernhard Weissenborn: Album Academiae Vitebergensis - Younger Series Part 1 (1602-1660) . Magdeburg 1934

personal data
SURNAME	Walther, Michael the Younger
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German mathematician and Lutheran theologian
DATE OF BIRTH	March 3, 1638
PLACE OF BIRTH	Aurich
DATE OF DEATH	January 21, 1692
Place of death	Wittenberg

[1] Bernhard Weissenborn: Album Academiae Vitebergensis - Younger Series Part 1 (1602-1660) . Magdeburg 1934