Simon Peter Gasser

Simon Peter Gasser, engraving by Martin Bernigeroth

Simon Peter Gasser

Simon Peter Gasser (born May 13, 1676 in Kolberg ; † November 22, 1745 in Halle (Saale) ) was a German legal scholar and economist.

Life

Born the son of the electoral Brandenburg landlord Georg Gasser and his wife Dorothea (née Spitzner ), he attended the city school in his hometown in his early childhood. After graduating from high school in Stettin , he enrolled at the University of Leipzig in 1694 to study law. In 1696 he moved to the University of Halle where he was taught by Samuel Stryck . He placed him in 1700 as court master at Baron Ende, with whom he made a trip to Holland in 1704. He stayed at the University of Utrecht for a year, where he attended the lectures of Cornelis van Eck (1662–1732).

Returning to Halle in 1705 he disputed with de beatitudine juridica under Heinrich Bode (legal scholar) for licentiate in law, then went on another trip with Baron Ende that took him to various German, Austrian and Italian universities, returned to Halle in 1706 and gave private lectures a law firm set up. In 1710 he received his doctorate in law, Gasser became associate professor in Halle on July 9th , soon afterwards also chamber consultant and in 1711 assessor of the Schöppenstuhl, but had to change there when the government and chamber were moved from Halle to Magdeburg Promoted to Chamber Council in 1716. A special commission to Kleve to solve the problems of domain administration that had arisen there, he dealt with great skill and so good success that as a reward, at his special request, he was awarded a full professorship in law in Halle on September 1, 1720 and he was also appointed as a war and domain councilor in the newly established salt and mining deputation.

On July 24, 1727, he was appointed to the newly established chair of economics through the special trust of King Friedrich Wilhelm I , who even consulted him personally. The teaching position was intended to familiarize the students with the principles of agriculture. They also got an insight into the police, the constitution and the city administration. At the king's request, Gasser kept his position in the Schöppenstuhl in Halle and, in addition to his political science activities, also completed his legal studies. He had also taken part in the organizational tasks of the Halle University and was Vice-Rector of the Halle Alma Mater in 1731/32 and 1742/43 .

Simon Peter Gasser died on November 22, 1745, at the age of 69 in Halle. He was buried on November 23, 1745 in Halle's Stadtgottesacker , his grave is in crypt arch no.9.

Act

Gasser was characterized by a clear, but very sober mind, which had an astonishing detailed knowledge of economic matters. However, he lacked a higher philosophical, ethical and historical conception, as can be seen from his only publication on the new subject Introduction to the economic, political and cameral sciences (Halle 1729). It is also the only German work from his pen. In his numerous Latin treatises and dissertations on all kinds of subjects of law, he does not rise above the dry manners of his contemporaries. The Praelectiones ad codicem Justinianeum ejusque titilos qui in digesttis non continentur (Hall 1727) and the Selectae observationes forenses (Hall 1738) are the most important of these.

But even in his main scientific work, he was only superior to his time because of his positive knowledge, not because of the depth and originality of the overall conception. Yes, in this respect his introduction is decidedly behind Veit Ludwig von Seckendorff's German Princely State , which Gasser himself used as the basis for his lectures. For while Seckendorff managed to at least come up with an overall understanding of the state administration and thus enabled a principally scientific treatment of its problems, Gasser has completely lost awareness of the inner connection between economic, social and political phenomena and that casuistic, half legal, half technical-economic Treatment of all individual administrative questions has been naturalized, which until well beyond the middle of the 18th century, the beginnings of the economic sciences in Germany, reduced the value and influence on the education of economics and administration.

family

In 1708 Gasser married Johanna Elisabeth, the daughter of Halle councilor, Pfänner and trader Friedrich Sellentius. The marriage resulted in seven children. Johanna Louisa, Henrietta Louisa, Heinrich Friedrich and Adam Ernst died at a young age. Friderica Wilhelmina died as a young woman. Beata Amalia (born September 10, 1711 in Halle) married the theologian Johann Heinrich Callenberg on May 12, 1733 . His only surviving son also embarked on a legal career and had married Johanna Christiana, the daughter of the Leipzig wine merchant Johann Conrad Wittmann, in July 1745.

Works

Positiones practicae in usum praelectionum. Hall 1734
Progr. De jure germanico diligentius excolendo. Hall 1729
Progr. De arduo veri ac religiosi Jcti officio. Hall 1729
Progr. De causis, cur Musae sedem suam in montibus collocaverint. Hall 1729
Dissertationes: de jure ceremoniali circa legatos, sub Praesid. Jac. Brunnemanni. Hall 1700
de coelibatu poenae nomine imposito, sub Praes. Jac. Fridr. Ludovici. Hall 1703
de juramento in rem. Hall 1706
de abstinentia juris naturae a fallacibus regulis putativi processus summarii. Hall 1708
de benefico non deducta deducam, non probata probabo. Hall 1722
de memoria initii contra praescriptionem immemorialem praecipue regalium et domaniorum. Hall 1722
de inutilitate positionum cum juramento dandor et responendorum. Hall 1724
de ejuranda ejuratione bonae spei. Hall 1729
ad I. Cornel de sicaiis. Hall 1729
de praerogativa dierum et mensium in devolvendis hereditatibus. Hall 1729
de inquisitione contra surdum et sessionis. Hall 1731
de brocardico vulgari statua ex jure communi esse interpretanda. Hall 1731
de usu et abusu supplicat. et rescriptorum lite pendente. Hall 1734
de pactis claudicantibus. Hall 1735
de judicio duplici, ejusque genuino conceptu. Hall 1736
de actionibus in rem scriptis. Hall 1738
de periculosa poena homicidii. Hall 1739
de orgine querelae inofficiosi. Hall 1739
de lucro dotis marito in pactis dotalibus concesso portionem statutarium non excludente. Hall 1740
Singularia juris Anhaltini de rebus creditis et de processu executivo. Hall 1743

literature

Johann Christoph von Dreyhaupt : Pagus Neletizi et Nudzici, or detailed diplomatic-historical description of the former primacy and Ertz-Stifft, but now secularized by the Duchy of Magdeburg, which belongs to the Duchy of Magdeburg, and of all the cities, palaces, offices, Manors, aristocratic families, churches, monasteries, parishes and villages, especially the cities of Halle, Neumarckt, Glaucha, Wettin, Löbegün, Cönnern and Alsleben; From Actis publicis and credible ... news, collected diligently, reinforced with many unprinted documents, adorned with copperplate engravings and abstracts, and provided with the necessary registers. Emanuel Schneider, Hall 1749/50.
Er - Gruber : General Encyclopedia of Sciences and Arts . Verlag Friedrich August Bockhaus, Leipzig, 1852, 1st section, vol. 54, p. 204 ( online )
Theodor Inama von Sternegg: Gasser, Simon Peter . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 8, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1878, p. 401 f.
Wilhelm Stieda: The national economy as a university science . BG Teubner, Leipzig, 1906, p. 18 f

Wilhelm Bleek : History of Political Science in Germany. Verlag CH Beck, 2001. ISBN 978-3-406-47173-5 , pp. 79 f

Web links

Literature by and about Simon Peter Gasser in the catalog of the German National Library
Entry on Simon Peter Gasser in the Catalogus Professorum Halensis

personal data
SURNAME	Gasser, Simon Peter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Gasserus, Simon Petrus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German legal scholar and economist
DATE OF BIRTH	May 13, 1676
PLACE OF BIRTH	Kolberg
DATE OF DEATH	November 22, 1745
Place of death	Halle (Saale)