Otto Reinhold von Holtz

Otto Reinhold von Holtz (born 21 April ^{. Jul} / 2. May  1757 ^greg. In Keila , April † 28 ^jul. / 10. May  1828 ^greg. ) Was a Baltic German pastor, writer and translator. He was one of the most active estophiles in the late 18th century.

Years of apprenticeship

Otto Reinhold von Holtz 'grandfather was a Swedish Major , who in the Nordic Great War in Russian captivity came and stayed in Estonia. Von Holtz's father was a pastor in Keila ( German Kegel ) and provost of Harjumaa (German Harrien ). His son Otto Reinhold studied theology at the universities in Greifswald and Tübingen from 1774 to 1778 . After graduating, he worked as a tutor . In 1780 he returned to Estonia. At first he was his father's assistant, after his death he himself was a pastor in Keila and from 1800 provost for Harju County . He was also a member of the Consistory of Estonia.

People's educator

Otto Reinhold von Holtz campaigned for an increase in the level of education of the Estonian rural population. They should also become more aware of their rights vis-à-vis the authorities. From 1812 von Holtz was a member of the commission that was supposed to prepare the new peasant law that came into force in 1816. In 1816 von Holtz's translation of the peasant law into Estonian appeared , with which the tsar abolished serfdom .

In addition, von Holtz translated medical brochures into Estonian. From 1806 to 1818 he was one of the most productive writers of didactic and entertaining calendar stories and author of guidebooks. His main work is the book Luggemissed Eestima Tallorahwa Moistusse ja Süddame Juhhatamisseks ("Reading to guide the mind and heart of the Estonian peasant people", 1817). In addition to translated reading pieces, chorales and poems, it contains numerous texts that refer to Estonia. Von Holtz never forgets to emphasize the moralizing undertone in popular education.

From 1819 von Holtz was a member of the Estonian Commission for the Establishment of Elementary Schools. He used outpatient teachers to teach the rural children to read. He also strove to found a seminar to train village school teachers.

Von Holtz was a great supporter of Friedrich Schiller , who was popular in Estonia with his idea of freedom , and whose poem An die Freude he translated into Estonian in 1813 ( Rööm! Sa taewa ello sedde ). In addition, translations of Ludwig Hölty's works into Estonian have come down to us. Von Holtz himself wrote poetry in Estonian, including the love poem Ühhe peigmehhe nutulaul omma prudi taganemisse pärast .

Most important independent publications

Translations of legal texts into Estonian

• "Iggaüks" (1802)
• "Eestima Tallorahwa Seäduse" (1805)
• "Eestimaa Tallorahwa Kohto-Seäduse ehk Wallakohto Kässo-Ramatu" (1805)
• "Eestima Tallorahwa Seädmised" (1816)

Translations of medical books

• "Lühhike öppetus nende abbiks, kes Naivad surnud ollewad ja ommeti weel ellawad" (1811)
• "Lühhike öppetus Eestima Tallorahwa Ämmadele" (1812)

Didactic anthology

• "Luggemissed Eestima Tallorahwa Moistusse ja Süddame Juhhatamisseks. Tallinnas, trükkitud JH Gresseli kirjadega, aastal 1817"

literature

• H. Pürkop: "Holtz, Otto Reinhold von". In: Eesti biograafiline leksikon. Toim. AR Cederberg ... [et al.]. I, A - L. Tartu: Loodus 1926, pp. 141f. (= Akadeemilise Ajaloo-Seltsi toimetused II = Academicae Societatis historicae scripta II. Estonia).
• Carola L. Gottzmann , Petra Hörner: Lexicon of the German-language literature of the Baltic States and St. Petersburg . De Gruyter, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-11-019338-1 , p. 608 f .

Web links

• Baltic Historical Commission (Ed.): Entry on Otto Reinhold von Holtz. In: BBLD - Baltic Biographical Lexicon digital
• life and work