By: Edmund Rinner, Copernicus 545
When the founders of the former Goethe Lodge chose Wolfgang von Goethe as the Lodge’s patron, it was a wise decision and these men deserve to be complimented. They must’ve been men with more than a basic education, no doubt most of them, probably all of them came to this Country in the late forties or early fifties of the last century.
Henry Hatfield , the author of a book “Goethe” describes him as a “Maker of Modern Literature”, he also writes “A Man of Tremendous Intelligence”. According to critics in the field of literature, Shakespeare, Dante and Goethe are considered the three giants in European poetry, German authorities however, claim Herder, Kant and Goethe as the three great ones.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born on August 8th 1749 in the City of Frankfurt. His mother was only 18 years old, but his father was much older, in fact he had retired already from taking part in City affairs. Goethe received his elementary education including instructions in foreign languages from several private tutors. At the age of 16, he went to the University of Leipzig to study law, at his father’s insistence. The City with it’s famous university and well established theater was a great intellectual center. After three years, he developed health problems and had to take a rest for two years. Then he resumed his studies at the University of Strasbourg in Alsace – Lorraine, France. It was in Strasbourg, in his 21st year, where he became a great poet, but managed to keep his law studies from interfering with his genuine interests. His circle of German friends at the university were strictly cultural nationalists, free of any hatred and almost completely apolitical. It was in Strasbourg where he met his first love, Friederike Brion and it was in this pleasant province where he developed his cultural experience. He also met Johann Gottfried Herder, only five years older than Goethe, but much more advanced, one of the most provocative thinkers of a rich century. Goethe was greatly impressed with Herder.
In the latter part of 1775, Duke Karl August of Weimar invited Goethe to join in his Court. It was the beginning of Goethe’s career in the practical World, although his father had warned him against the danger of an aristocratic society. In the 18th century, Germany was a collection of about 300 governing units, large and small kingdoms, duchies, earldoms, ecclesiastical states and free imperial Cities. He went to the Duchy of Weimar, where he joined the cabinet and remained for almost eleven years. His assigned administrative duties were carried out with great accuracy, such as; drafting recruits for the ducal army, managing the fire department, rehabilitating the mining industry, yet he also managed to write sensible contributions on anatomy, botany and poetry.
Goethe’s lifestyle however, from a moral point of view, left a lot to be desired. He developed a close relationship with Charlotte von Stein, a woman of culture, no beauty, considerably older than Goethe, smart but not brilliant and unhappily married, yet she became a great inspiration to him, his confidante and dominated his life for almost a decade in Weimar. Due to her inspiration, he wrote many famous lyrics.
In 1786 he left for Rome, telling no one what his aim was, he just wanted to get away. After returning from Italy, he took a young factory girl, Christiane Vulpius into his home. She was attractive, good natured, but completely uneducated and uninterested in literature, Goethe’s mother referred to her as her son’s bed-treasure. This caused great mental anguish to Charlotte von Stein and brought their relationship to an end. She had several hundred letters from Goethe, which he had written to her during their relationship, they were all destroyed. A son August was born to them in 1789, which was the only child to survive infancy. Goethe did not legally marry Christiane until 1806. She died in 1816. Goethe died on March 22nd 1832 at the age of 82.
When I went to elementary school in Germany, there were certain poems that children had to learn and recite either in class or on special occasions. I remember distinctively; Goethe’s “Erlkoenig” (Alderking) and Schiller’s “Die Glocke” (The Bell). Some of Goethe’s greatest works as a poet, lyrist and playwrite were; Goetz von Berlichingen, Urfaust which was the basis for Faust One – The Little World, Faust Two – The Great World, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, Theatrical Mission and Wanderjahre, Storm and Stress. The Walpurgis Night, The Wanderer’s Shadow, Erlkoenig and many many more. Amongst the giants in poetry, lyrics and drama, Goethe’s name has been perpetuated, not only in Germany, not only in Europe, but all over the World.