August 25, 1744 Birth of philosopher and critic, Johann Gottfried von Herder in Modrungen, Germany (now in Poland). His writings prepare for the Sturm und Drang movement as well as the Romantic movement in literature. He is perhaps, though, most remembered for his profound intellectual influence on the young Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. August … [Read more...]

August 24-27, 410 Alaric, the leader of the Visigoths takes and plunders Rome. This was one of the final blows which would bring about the end of the Roman Empire. The Visigoths were one of the east Germanic tribes. There were three Germanic groupings: north Germanic, west Germanic and east Germanic (Goths). Modern Germans descend from the … [Read more...]

August 23, 1773 Birth of Jakob Friedrich Fries in Barby, Germany. Fries was a professor of philosophy at the Universities of Heidelberg and Jena. In Neue oder anthropologische Kritik der Vernunft he attempted to provide a foundation of psychological analysis to the critical theory of Kant. August 23, 1829 Birth of Moritz Benedikt Cantor in … [Read more...]

August 22, 1818 Birth of Rudolf von Jehring in Aurich, Germany. Jehring was a legal scholar specializing in Roman law. He developed the notion that the purpose of law is the protection of the individual in a balance with social interests. In the case of conflict though he gave priority to the interests of society. August 22, … [Read more...]

August 21, 1849 On August 21, 1849, Pauline Mallinckrodt founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity. Pauline Mallinckrodt was born in Minden, Germany on June 3, 1817. She directed the institution for the blind in Paderborn, Germany. She founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity on August 21, 1849. That order … [Read more...]

August 20, 1639 Death of Martin Opitz in Danzig, Germany (now Poland). The poet and theoretician, Opitz, was a member of an important literary society of his times, the "Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft". In his most important theoretical work Buch von der deutschen Poeterey (1624) he established standards for German poetry. For his contributions to … [Read more...]

August 19, 1753 Death of the architect Balthasar Neumann in Würzburg. Neumann was clearly the master of Baroque architecture. He was born in Eger, Bohemia (then Austria, now in the Czech Republic) in 1687. He moved to Würzburg in 1711 and gained the patronage of the prince-bishop (Holy Roman Empire) of Würzburg. He eventually rose to be the … [Read more...]

August 18, 330 Death of St. Helena. St. Helena was the mother of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great. She was born in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, but moved to Trier (modern day Germany) when her son became emperor of the West and ruled from Trier. She became a Christian early on and doubtless had influence on Constantine's … [Read more...]

August 17, 1875 Death of Wilhelm Bleek in Berlin, Germany. The philologist, Bleek moved to Africa after his studies and spent his life working on the study of South African languages. He has been referred to as "the father of Bantu Philology." August 17, 1876 Richard Wagner's opera Götterdämmerung is produced for the first time in … [Read more...]

August 16, 1419 Death of Wenceslas in Prague (now in the Czech Republic) (born in Nürnberg, Germany). Wenceslas gained the titles, German King, King of Bohemia and King of the Romans. He was a very weak ruler in unsettled times. He was deposed, spent some time in prison and lost his position as King of Bohemia. He retained the title of King of … [Read more...]