February 12, 1777 Birth of Friedrich de La Motte Fouque in Brandenburg, Germany. Descended from a French noble family, Fouque was for a time a very popular writer. His best known works are Undine (1811) and Der Held des Nordens (1808). February 12, 1804 The philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) dies in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad in … [Read more...]

February 11, 1813 Birth of Otto Ludwig in Eisfeld, Germany. Ludwig was a novelist and playwright of the period of Poetic Realism, a term which he coined. Among his works are Die Erbförster (1850), and Zwischen Himmel und Erde (1855). Ludwig died in Dresden, Germany on February 25, 1865. February 11, 1869 Birth of Else Lasker-Schüler … [Read more...]

February 10, 1543 Birth of Johann Eck (birth name Johann Maier) in Egg, Germany. Eck was ordained a Catholic priest in 1508 and attained the degree, Doctor of Theology in 1510. He then was appointed as professor of theology at the University of Ingolstadt. Eck was outraged at Luther's 95 theses which he denounced as heresy in 1518. He debated … [Read more...]

February 9, 1834 Birth of Felix Dahn in Hamburg, Germany. Dahn was a professor of law at the universities of Munich, Würzburg and Berlin. In addition to his work in law he wrote histories and historical novels. Among his histories are Die Könige der Germanen (11 volumes), Die Urgeschichte der germanischen und romanischen Völker and Deutsche … [Read more...]

February 8, 1487 Birth of Ulrich in Reichenweier, Germany. Ulrich was the Herzog of Württemberg from 1498. Due to political problems he was removed from his position by fellow nobles in 1519. Through political intrigues he regained control of Württemberg in 1534. At that time he dissolved the monasteries, confiscated church lands and invited … [Read more...]

February 7, 1825 Birth of Karl August Möbius (1825-1908) in Eilenburg, Germany. Möbius, a zoologist, discovered symbiosis in marine invertebrates. In 1863 he was one of the founders of the Hamburg Zoo. He designed Germany's first public aquarium. February 7, 1870 Birth of Alfred Adler in Penzing, Austria. Adler earned his M.D. at the … [Read more...]

February 6 Feast Day of St. Amandus von Maastricht (? – ca. 680) St. Amandus was born near Nantes (modern France) in the late 6th century. Resisting his family's desire of a secular life for him he fled and entered a monastery. After years living in isolation as a hermit/monk he was consecrated as a missionary bishop. His first work was in … [Read more...]