Goethe's servant
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Goethe's personal servants enjoyed the trust of their landlord. Goethe demanded discretion, diligence and constant fulfillment of duties from his staff. With free board, lodging and livery , the camper servant received an annual wage. Goethe “educated” his domestic staff and promoted them according to their proven abilities. Particularly suitable servants were allowed to work as scribes for Goethe or even take part in the poet's scientific studies. Goethe placed deserving servants in ducal offices or accepted them in a will.
Goethe usually called his servant Carl .
The year (s) in round brackets after the servant's name indicate the period of his servanthood with Goethe.
Philipp Seidel (1775–1788)
Philipp Friedrich Seidel was born on April 7, 1755 in Frankfurt am Main as the son of a plumber and died on November 19, 1820 in Jena from a stroke [stroke].
Seidel's father died early. Seidel and his three brothers had to earn their bread early. The capable autodidact Seidel worked as a private tutor for Goethe's parents in Frankfurt and did a good job of paperwork. In 1775, Goethe's mother sent Seidel to Weimar as a servant for her son . The intelligent Seidel maintained the connection between Duchess Anna Amalia and Goethe's mother in Frankfurt for years . Goethe allowed Seidel all freedom. Seidel lived like a gentleman and needed money. In 1785, Goethe found a chamber calculator for Seidel. Only Seidel knew in advance of Goethe's unauthorized trip to Italy in September 1786. During Goethe's stay in Italy, the devoted Seidel was the liaison between Goethe and the Weimar court. Goethe took advice from Seidel. There was a tone in the letters as if between two friends. At most as an exception, Goethe reprimanded a minor breach of duty on the part of the subordinate. When Christiane Vulpius moved into Goethe's house in 1788 , she ousted Seidel as the leading domestic confidante, whereupon he left the household. Seidel did not get over this disappointment, and it paralyzed his creativity. In 1789 Seidel became rent commissioner and married a woman from Weimar. His wife died in 1806. Seidel remained a widower. Despite the deep rupture, Seidel did business for Goethe for years that Christiane was unable to familiarize herself with. From around 1799 onwards Seidel had a nervous disease. In 1800 Goethe distanced himself from the former intimate. Seidel ended up in the madhouse in Jena.
"I am glad that you are well and consider me in love, go on your way, be diligent in your office, be attentive to what is next and sometimes look around for relaxation in a wider field. I am well and happy. "
Christoph Sutor (1776–1795)
Christoph Erhard Sutor was born on March 14, 1754, the son of a baker in Erfurt and died on December 13, 1838 in Weimar.
Sutor, practical, worked in the background. After his marriage he moved out of Goethe's apartment because of his children. Goethe did not mind when Sutor was making money on the side by producing playing cards. In addition, Goethe Sutors tolerated the lending library. House owner Sutor eventually became a respected citizen and worthy council deputy of Weimar. Sutor worshiped his former master Goethe until his death.
“When I came to see him, he was about twenty-seven years old; he was very thin, agile and petite, I could have carried him easily. "
"Sutor can write to me once if he feels like it and has something to say to me."
Paul Götze (1777–1794)
Johann Georg Paul Götze was born on March 1st, 1761 as the son of a clarinettist of the Weimar Infantry Regiment in Weimar and died on March 23rd, 1835 in Jena.
The father had abandoned the mother and the children when Götze found a job with Goethe. Seidel taught the employed idol. Goethe took Götze with him on his travels and trained the boy to be a scribe. “Schreiber” Götze had to circumnavigate the Frankfurt dialect of his master as a cliff. When Goethe was waiting for his Duchess in Venice in 1790, he had a lot of time for Götze. On the side as Goethe's coachman, Götze proved himself in Italy, Silesia and France. The devil Paul rode back and forth between Weimar and Frankfurt on behalf of his master. He gained the trust of Goethe's mother. From 1794, Goethe entrusted Götze with the planning of ducal building projects. Götze became a construction manager at the road construction commission , helped build the botanical garden in Jena , worked as a fundraiser for the mine in Ilmenau , helped regulate the Saale and, thanks to his intelligence, became a big heart . Road construction inspector . Decorated with the Silver Medal of Merit , Götze died widowed and childless.
“I have therefore sought to educate and attract Georg Paul Götze, who has been in my service for fifteen years and who was born here, in such a way that he can assist me both in my certain business and in those that have been graciously commissioned to me. He is lucky Ew. Not being unfamiliar to the passage has health, ability to judge sensual objects well, and purposeful activity. He is not untrained in writing and arithmetic, he is excellently skilled in drawing, and is generally familiar with mining and hydraulic engineering, as well as other civil engineering; just as she had tried his loyalty to the full in all cases. "
Christian Georg Karl Vogel (1782–1786)
Vogel was born in 1760 and died in 1819. From 1782 to 1786 he was Goethe's skilled private scribe. He also accompanied the poet to Karlsbad in 1786 and to France in 1792 . From 1815 Vogel was a Weimar office advisor.
“To Christian Georg Carl Vogel
Mr. Geheime Canzelley, Secretary Vogel, is requested to send me some writing materials, especially stationery and paper that can be obtained, and also to let me know where it is better to get it and at what price. Goethe."
Johann Ludwig Geist (1795–1804)
Johann Jacob Ludwig Geist was born on April 14, 1776 as the son of a basket maker in Berka an der Ilm and died on April 1, 1854 in Weimar.
The docile spirit attended the Weimar school teacher seminar until 1795. He spoke Latin, played the organ and knew a lot about botany. Schiller described it as Goethe's brave spirit . Goethe took Geist to Switzerland with him in 1797. Geist proved himself as a writer and was allowed to research Frankfurt and Göttingen on his own. In his scientific work, Geist adopted the factually precise Goethe tone - in addition to botany it was also meteorology. Goethe kept a certain distance from the educated spirit, but in 1805 he got his scribe into a civil servant position and from then on had to write the letters by hand again. In 1814, Geist rose to the position of Court Marschall Official Accountant . At 67, Geist was retired, enjoyed his retirement for another eleven years, wrote for the flower newspaper and died of old age.
"If my spirits weren't busy copying inventories, I would quickly thicken something."
Johann David Eisfeld (1806-1812)
Johann David Eisfeld was born on February 12, 1787 as the son of a master kit maker in Langensalza and died on November 11, 1852 in his birthplace.
Goethe kept his distance from Eisfeld, but described him as clever and agile . Eisfeld drove to Karlsbad with Goethe every year and met his future wife there. Eisfeld had organizational talent. He could handle Goethe's visitors. When Eisfeld contracted an infectious disease in 1812, he was dismissed by Goethe , who was sometimes hypochondriac . Eisfeld married in 1813. The marriage had four children. Eisfeld and his brother ran the municipal sulfur bath in Langensalza as a tenant and castellan until 1818. Then Eisfeld took over his father's business including the land. Eisfeld died as an economist (farmer).
“That Carl Eisfeld, a native of Langensalza, was in my service for six years and recommended himself through good behavior and qualified in every respect for the position of a camper or a similar person, also rendered useful services to me on trips and in case of illnesses want to certify the same on his release for his further recommendation. "
Carl Stadelmann (1814-1815, 1817-1824)
Carl Wilhelm Stadelmann was born on January 21, 1782 as the son of Maria Magdalena Bindnagel in Jena and died at the end of 1844 in his place of birth.
Stadelmann came to Goethe as a printing company , so he had learned a respectable trade. When he took up his duties, he was already 32 years old, married and had experience as a servant. Goethe was impressed by the confident demeanor of the shrewd Stadelmann. During the numerous carriage rides, Stadelmann was always on the lookout for mineralogical treasures along the way, jumped from the box if necessary and brought the piece to his master. Then Goethe, on the feldspar in his hands: How did you get here? (Schleif, p. 178) During the Rhine journey in 1814, Stadelmann even kept his own diary and adorned it with geological sprinkles. When Stadelmann discovered something that affected Goethe's color theory , he was not afraid to simply interrupt Goethe, Riemer and Meyer . Goethe took it with humor (Schleif, pp. 183-184). Stadelmann could smile at his "erudition" himself. However, Stadelmann was dismissed for alcoholism. He probably worked as a printer in Jena after he was thrown out. When his wife died in 1834, things continued to decline for him. But he still experienced a climax. On October 22nd, 1844, he was allowed to unveil the Goethe monument in the city of his master's birth. Stadelmann hanged himself in the Jena poor house.
“In Karlsbad, Stadelmann has to bring Goethe red wine to the room on the morning of August 27th. When Goethe has finished drinking, he doubts whether it is already his birthday. Calendar! he orders. Stadelmann brings the calendar. Goethe: Thunderstorm! I got drunk for free! "
“ During the journey, Goethe's coachman Barth and Stadelmann kept an eye out for strange stones along the way and signaled to his master: Herr goeme Rath, I globe, there is something for us. "
"Stadelmann has already pounded through the mountains, we have found the previous year's collection again, which makes everything easier."
Members of the Goethe Society , otherwise more solemn, mock themselves - found a Stadelmann Society as an offshoot .
Claudio Magris wrote a drama Stadelmann in 1988 .
Ferdinand Schreiber (1816)
Ferdinand Schreiber died in Jena in 1849 at the age of 52.
Goethe was full of praise for Schreiber, whom he appointed as a scribe, but soon dismissed him because of illness.
"Clerk in the infirmary."
Johann August Friedrich John (1814-1832)
Johann August Friedrich John was born on January 24, 1794 as the son of a room painter in Weimar and died in 1854 of a hemorrhage in his place of birth.
In 1814 John moved into Goethe's attic that Riemer had vacated in 1812. In 1820 John married and moved out of the women's plan. When Grand Duke Karl August von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (1757-1828) died in 1828, the poet went to Dornburg in mourning and took John with him. Faithful, prudent and discreet, John served his master until the very end, and witnessed everything. After 1832 John became a ducal copyist. The patient with breast disease left behind his wife and two children when he died.
"Stadelmann continued his mountain research, John continued his weather observations, and in both of them, both in general and in particular, I really made progress."
Michael Färber (1814-1832)
Johann Michael Christoph Färber was born on January 25, 1778 as the son of a sword sweeper in Jena and died on November 25, 1844 of dropsy in his place of birth.
Färber was - mediated by Goethe - Grand Duke. Museum clerk in Jena, served Goethe faithfully and was promoted to museum inspector. He left a wife and son.
"I therefore wish, my dear dyer, that you inquire about the circumstances, when the boxes went off? by which driver? through which carrier brokerage? "
Gottlieb Friedrich Krause (1824–1832)
Gottlieb Friedrich Krause was born on July 4, 1805 as the son of a shopkeeper in Lehnstedt near Weimar and died on November 9, 1860 in Ilmenau.
Krause attended the Weimar school teacher seminar. When Franz Kugler visited Goethe on May 5, 1827, he described Krause as a fine servant who paid great attention to form (Schleif, p. 214). In thanks for the eight years of care, Goethe bequeathed his Krause money and a piece of herb land . The servant stayed with Goethe's daughter-in-law until 1837 . Krause married in 1832, divorced in 1846, married again and worked as a clerk in Vieselbach and Ilmenau.
"The servant Krause started work this morning."
literature
- Walter Schleif: Goethe's servant . Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin and Weimar 1965 ( contributions to German classical music , vol. 17)
- Gero von Wilpert : Goethe-Lexikon (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 407). Kröner, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-520-40701-9 .
- Niels Höpfner: Goethe and his 'Blitz page' Philipp Seidel. On the homosexuality of the poet prince . Düsseldorf 2004, ISBN 3-87365-335-4
Individual evidence
- ↑ Wilpert, p. 1122
- ↑ Goethe, Letters from 1805 at Zeno.org