Johann Gottfried Herder

Herder
develops a close and lasting friendship with the Hartknochs, a family
of publishers, when in Riga. Its importance can be measured not so
much in terms of the exchange of ideas as it is in financial
assistance. For some time, Herder was staying at the Hartknochs’
house, often plays musical instruments, while the Hartknochs hope
that Heder will be their home tutor, which never happens. Not only do
the Hartknochs pay Herder the highest royalties, but also
occasionally manage Herder's correspondence, incl. Herder’s letters
to his mother, and financially support his travels, incl. from Riga
to Nantes in late spring of 1769. On the recommendation of Herder,
Hartknoch publishes the works of the French philosopher Rousseau.
Herder
became acquainted with Garlieb Helwig Merkel from Vidzeme already in
Germany. Merkel stayed in Germany from 1796 to 1806. Herder also
wrote a review of G.Merkel's "Latvians" (Erfurter
Nachrichten,
1797) and, following Herder's recommendation, Merkel went to
Copenhagen in 1797 to be a secretary of the Minister of Finance,
Count Schimmelmann. After Herder's death, Merkel developed close
friendship and correspondence with Herder's wife, Caroline Herder
(1750-1809).
Herder
was appointed to the nobility in 1802, after which he was given the
title von
before the surname.

Herder
worked in Riga as a teaching assistant in the Dome School, as
assistant librarian for the city library and as assistant pastor for
suburban churches. In Riga, Heder also wrote a lot about pedagogical,
linguistic, religious, philosophical, etc. issues and composed
occasional poetry, literary critical articles. Herder's list of works
contains the most important works of the Riga period, as well as
those that were first published in Riga during Herder's life.



The
most important works of Riga period

1766:
"The Sound of Songs at the Consecration of the Bikernieki St.
Catherine's Church" is the only Herder’s work published in
Latvian. This is a German translation of Christian Ravensberg, pastor
of St. John's Church in Riga.

1767:
Über
die neuere Deutsche Literatur: Fragmente, als Beilagen zu den
Briefen, die neueste Literatur betreffend
.
A collection of literary-critical articles in 3 volumes, more
commonly known as
Fragmente
über die neuere Deutsche Literatur
,
or "Fragments of the latest German literature. With this work,
Heder becomes widely known in the German-speaking European
environment and acquires his correspondents, the most prominent
German writers.

1769:
Kritische
Wälder. Oder Betrachtungen, die Wissenschaft und Kunst des Schönen
betreffend, nach Maasgabe neuerer Schriften
,
or "Critical Forests. Or Reflections on Science and the Fine
Arts," which puts an important emphasis not only on aesthetics
but also on the philosophy of language.



First
editions of 11 Latvian folk songs sent to Herder

1778/79:
Volkslieder or
"Folksongs", the collection consists of two parts,
organized according to the thematic principle, 11 Latvian folk songs
and comments are included in Part 2 (pages 87-92 and 111-113) .


1807:
Stimmen
der Völker in Liedern
,
or "Voices of the People in Songs", is a collection that is
published after Herder's death. In Johann von Miller's arrangement,
it acquired a new geographical principle. Miller starts with the
introduction of Nordic (Scandinavian) songs and soon reaches the
Baltics. Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian songs are published at the
beginning of the collection (Latvian songs from pages 94 to 96).


Sermons
and religious treatises


In
his last sermon at the Church of Jesus, Heder emphasized that his
sermons are for listening, but not for reading. Thus, some of the
sermons, although preserved, were first published in Herder's
collected works (33 vol., Berlin, 1877-1913) by Bernhard Suphan in
the late 19th century, such as
Über
das Gebet
, Über
die Göttlichkeit und Gebrauch
.
After leaving Riga, in the last two decades of the 18th century,
Herder still published his biblical and religious essays at
Hartknoch’s publishing house in Riga.



Literary-critical,
pedagogical and philosophical essays

Although
collected works are published in Herder's lifetime, they are
incomplete and many, including essays and speeches, fragments and
drafts from the Riga period remain unpublished. A great deal of work
in this regard is done by Herder's son Emil Gottfried von HERDER
(1783-1855), who publishes Herder's manuscripts and letters in 1846
in 3 volumes (Volume 1 in 3 books; Volume 2 and Volume 3 in 2 books).
J.G.Herder`s
Lebensbild. Sein chronologisch-geordneter Briefwechsel, verbunden mit
den hierhergehörigen Mittheilungen aus seinem ungedruckten
Nachlasse, und mit den nöthigen Belegen aus seinen und seiner
Zeitgenossen Schriften
("The
Life of J.G. Herder. His chronologically arranged correspondence is
published together with his writings from his unpublished heritage
and the respective supplements from the articles written by him and
his contemporaries”). This valuable publication is in the
possession of the National Library of Latvia.


However,
in the 19th and 20th centuries, when publishing Herder's collected
works, new manuscripts previously unknown to the general public are
often found. Herder's foundation at the Berlin State Library is
crucial for studying his life and activities.

"Das Herdersche in Herder ist in Riga gewachsen" [Herderiskais Herders ir izaudzis Rīgā].
Kurt Stavenhagen. Herder in Riga. Riga: G. Löffler, 1925, S.13.

"Mighty
King of the Spirits, rich in Grace,

Known
for "mischief", that can enchant you;

You
love to ring the Latvian poetry clock.

Divine
voices are heard - heard at the ends of the world."

Translated from: Auseklis.
To Herder. Ozolu
vaiņaki.
Collected works by Auseklis. Riga: Gulbis
[b.g.],
p.245

"But
even more excitement for the younger generation was in Herder’s
imaginative and enthusiastic writings and his persona. For Goethe,
meeting Herder in Strasbourg was, as he himself acknowledged, the
most important event that determined the trajectory of his spirit and
character. Herder was only five years older than Goethe, but
experienced and self-reflective, with wide and new views on poetry,
art, history, philosophy. Herder opened with his writings an
understanding of true poetry, showing that poetry is not only the
property and accessory of the so-called educated classes, but of all
and every nation and nationality; that its source is in the views and
feelings of the people, and that true poetry is natural and full of
character; he glorified natural folk songs in contrast to art poetry
(..) nature is superior to art, primordial to unnatural! (Urnatur
wider Unnatur),
same: "retourner à la nature" as in 1793, only a quiet
sidewalk. "wider Unnatur), same: "retourner à la nature"
as in 1793, only a silent ripple. "

Translated from: Rainis.
From Goethe for new days. Literary review. Collected papers. Volume
18, Riga: Zinātne, 1982, 274.

"...
Latvians also have to mark this noble spirit rich in ideas, who, with
a deeper understanding of poetry than his predecessors, has
contributed to the development of literature worldwide, especially,
of course, in his fatherland Germany, and as a result has found our
partially strewn creek."
Translated from: Ludis Bērziņš. Greznas dziesmas. Riga: Zinātne, 2007, 89.lpp.

"Bille
cries (..) She can get to the fence of Herder's monument. At least
there is a place to grip at and support her head. A pair of barely
lit school windows illuminated by a single lamp are seen from across
(..) Bille has to deal with it herself. She takes a deep breath,
tries to compose herself and when ready lifts her eyes. Herder looks
at her. Again, the boys turned the broken head upside down.

"You
are not doing well eiter, old man," Bille sighs. There are a few
short gasps, and she can finally release her grip on the cold grid.
If only her legs were not so terribly painful."
Translated from: Vizma
Belshevica. Billes
skaistā jaunība.
Riga: Jumava, 1999, p. [episode from study time at the 2nd Riga
Polygraphy Vocational School, 1946-1948].

Recepction

1903:
Alexander von Freytag-Loringhoven. Herder
in Riga: Festspiel in einem Aufzuge zu Herders 100jährigen
Todestage
[Paly. "Herder in Riga: Festive performance in One Act for the
100th Anniversary of the Death of Herder" - stamped copy,
transcript. National Library of Latvia RXA 422, 25].
1904:
K.Walter. Herders Wirken und Wachsen in Riga. Baltische
Monatschrift,
No. 57, S.28-49. [extensive publication dedicated to Herder's work in
Riga]
1909:
Georg Berkholz. Festvortrag
bei Enthüllung des Herder-Denkmals, Geschichte des Wortes
"baltisch". Riga:
Jonck&Poliewsky.
1917:
Arend Buchholtz. [Herder in Riga]. Ostsee
und Ostland. Hrsg.von
Dr.Otto Grautoff. I
Die Baltischen Provinzen. Bd.
6 Bilder
aus baltischer Vergangenheit. Berlin:
F.Lehmann, S. 77-83. [general insight into Herder’s Riga period].
1978:
Walter Dietze. Johann
Gottried Herder: Weltbild, Menschbild, Wirkung.
Weimar: Ständige Kommision für Kultur bei der
Stadtverordnetenversammlung der Stadt Weimar. [Monograph on Herder's
Life and Activities, Second Edition, 1980]
1989:
Bultmann, Christoph. Herder als Schüler des Philologen Michaelis.
Zur Rigaer Erstfassung der »Archäologie« Bückeburger
Gespräche über Johann Gottfried Herder 1988: Älteste Urkunde des
Menschengeschlechts. Hrsg. v. Brigitte Poschmann. Rinteln,
S.
64-80. [the article looks at a particular aspect of Herder's views,
his concept of "archeology", the development of which began
in Riga, and the influence of Johann David Michaelis (1717-1791) on
Herder].
1990:
Menze, Ernest A. Königsberg and Riga: the genesis and significance
of Herder’s historical thought. Herder
today: contributions from the International Herder Conference, Nov.
5-8, 1987, Stanford, California / edited by Kurt Mueller-Vollmer.
BerliN; New York: W. de Gruyter,
S. 90-107. [Herder's ideas on the historical perspective in
Königsberg and Riga periods].
1991:
Johann Gottfried Herder. Selected
early works, 1764-1767: Addresses, essays and drafts; fragments on
recent German literature. Ed.
Ernest A.Menze, Karl Menges. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State
University [selection of Herder's articles, drafts, excerpts with
commentaries of Riga period].
1996:
Gisela von Busse. Herder
auf Reisen: drei Kapitel aus seinem Leben: seinen Briefen,
Tagebüchern, Schriften und nacherzählt. Hans-Busso
von Busse. [Monograph on Herder's travels, beginning with a sea
voyage to France from Riga].
1999:
Paul Mitzenheim. Herder und Riga. Europa
in der Frühen Neuzeit,
ed. Erich Donnert, Vol. 5. Weimar: Böhlau, S. 495-503.
2004:
Couturier, Daniel. Herder
à Nantes et à Angers en 1769. Longué:
Vieux Logis [includes Herder's sea voyage from Riga to Nantes in
1769].
2007:
Tadeusz Zubiński. Herder
w Rydze i inne szkice bałtyckie.
Toruń : Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek [Herderu Rīgā un Baltijas
skices].
2008: Singing
the nations: Herder`s legacy.
Ed.Dace Bula, Sigrid Rieuwerts. Trier: Wissenschaftlicher
Verlag.
2013: John Vivian. Herders “weltmännische
Bildung” in Riga 1764-1769. In: Triangulum 19
(2013), S. 87-118. [Riga period in Herder's Life as the time of
evolvement of "Citizen of the World"].
2014:
Guntis Šmidchens. Herder`s discovery of Baltic Songs. The
power of song: nonviolent national culture in the Baltic singing
revolution.
Seattle: University of Washington Press.
2016: Kaspar
Renner. Herder in Riga. 1764-1769: Quellen zur
Wirkungsgeschichte. Zeitschrift
für Germanistik 26
(2016), 118-133. [Herder's Riga period: source studies aspect].
2016:
Bellmann, Tina. Die
Interdependenz von Selbst- und Gotteserkenntnis: Herders Rigaer
Predigten. J.
G. HERDER: FROM COGNITION TO CULTURAL SCIENCE / VON DER ERKENNTNIS
ZUR KULTURWISSENSCHAFT. Contributions based on the 2014 Conference of
the International Herder Society at Purdue University, West
Lafayette, Indiana. Edited by Beate Allert. Heidelberg: Synchron, S.
49-62 [article
includes analysis of Herder's Riga sermons].
2017:
Raynal-Herder-Merkel. Transformationen
der Antikolonialismusdebatte in der europäischen Aufklärung. Hrsg.
von Zorl-Gothart Mix, Hinrich Ahrend in Zusammenarbeit mit Kristina
Kandler [Insights into the European Enlightenment Polemics Against
Colonialism among Rainal, Heder and Merkel].
2019:
Kaspar Renner. Herder und die gelehrte Öffentlichkeit in Riga. Eine
Relektüre der "Publikumsschrift" von
1756. Baltisch-deutsche
Kulturbeziehungen vom 16. bis 19. Jahrhundert: Medien, Institutionen,
Akteure. Bd, 2 Zwischen Aufklärung und Nationalem Erwachen.
Hrsg. von Raivis Bičevskis, Jost Eickmeyer, Andris Levans.
Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, S.217-235.

author
folklore researcher
librettist
literary scholar
philosopher
priest
theologian
writer

Johann Gottfried von Herder

Johans Gotfrīds Herders

1762–1764
University of Königsberg
Kaļiņingrada
Studējis teoloģiju, klausījies lekcijas pie I.Kanta, apmainījies ar idejām ar J.G.Hāmani, T.G.Hipelu, J.G.Šefneru un citiem

1764–1769
Herdera laukums
Norāde avīzē "Rigasche Stadtblätter" (1856, nr.5, S.39):...Bewohner des dem Hause des Hofgerichts-Advocaten Petersen gegenüber belegenen Schul-Eckhauses bei der kleinen Wage [Iedzīvotājs namā, kas atrodas galmatiesas advokāta Petersena mājai pretī pieguļošās skolas stūrī pie Mazajiem svariem].

25.08.1764
Herdera laukums
Par godu simtajai gadadienai kopš Herdera ierašanās Rīgā un 120. gadadienai kopš viņa dzimšanas 1864. gadā atklāts piemineklis bijušajā Mazo Svaru laukumā pretī mājai, kurā Herders dzīvojis - J.G.Herdera krūšutēls uz čuguna postamenta. Paraugs: Herdera piemineklis Veimārā (Herders mācītāja talārā pilnā augumā). Arhitekts Ludvigs Šallers (Schaller, 1804-1865). Uzraksti uz pieminekļa: "Johann Gottfried Herder. Licht, Liebe, Leben. 25.VIII 1864." [Johans Gotfrīds Herders. Gaisma, mīlestība, dzīve] - dzīves moto uz zīmoggredzena un kapakmens; zem tā: "Collaborator der Dom-Schule und Pastor adj. an den Vorstadt-Kirchen in Riga, 1764-1769" [Domskolas palīgskolotājs un palīgmācītājs priekšpilsētas baznīcās Rīgā, 1764-1769]; pa labi: "geboren den 25. August 1744 in Mohrungen (Ost-Preussen)" [dzimis 25. augustā Morungenā, Austrumprūsijā], pa kreisi: "Gestorben d.18.December 1803 in Weimar" [miris 18. decembrī 1803. gadā Veimārā]. Pie pieminekļa iestādīts ozols, ap to izvietota barokāls dzelzs žogs ar margām.1950. gados pieminekli demontē, postamentu domājams pārkausē. 1959. gadā sakarā ar Vācijas Demokrātiskās republikas vadītāju vizīti Rīgā Herdera pieminekli steidzīgi atjauno pēc arhitekta Kārļa Plūksnes norādījumiem, uzstādot uz granīta postamenta ar uzrakstu "Johans Gotfrīds Herders (1744-1803)" vienīgi latviešu valodā.

1921–1941
Riga Herder Society
Rīga
Ar J.G.Herdera vārdu saistītā biedrība dibināta Rīgā ar mērķi izveidot un atbalstīt Herdera institūtu, augstāko mācību iestādi Baltijas vāciešiem Baltijā. Biedrībai arī nozīmīga loma sakaru uzturēšanā starp Vāciju un Latviju starpkaru periodā.

1921–1939
Herder Institute in Riga
Elizabetes iela 29, Rīga
Herdera vārdā nosaukts institūts Rīgā, kas sniedz Baltijas vāciešiem iespēju iegūt augstāko izglītību dzimtenē un savā dzimtajā valodā. Institūts ir arī nozīmīgs vācbaltiešu kultūras izpētes centrs. Pēc institūta slēgšanas Rīgā un vācbaltiešu izceļošanas 1939. gadā daļa no vācbaltiešu arhīviem un dokmentu kolekcijām nokļuva Mārburgā (Vācijā), kur 1950. gadā tika izveidots "Herdera institūts" - pētniecības centrs vācbaltiešu kultūras Baltijā izpētei. Herdera institūts ar bagātu arhīvu un bibliotēku Marburgā darbojas joprojām.

1991
Riga Herder Secondary School
Skolas iela 25, Rīga
Skola ieguvusi J.G.Herdera vārdu 1991. gadā. Rīgas Herdera vidusskola izveidojusies no bijušās Rīgas 12. vidusskolas ar krievu mācībvalodu. 2014. gadā skola pievienota Rīgas Krievu vidusskolai un ieguvusi J.G. Herdera Rīgas Grīziņkalna vidusskolas nosaukumu. Pašlaik skola atrodas Latgales priekšpilsētā.

01.1765–05.1769
Riga City Library
Rīgas Doma krusteja
Bibliotekārs, citos avotos - bibliotekāra palīgs.

24.02.1765–08.05.1769
Rīgas Domskola
Mazā Skolas iela, Rīga
1765. 14.02. Herders kārto teoloģisku eksāmenu; 1765. 24.02. apstiprināts Domskolas skolotāja palīga (Collaborator) amatā. 1769. 8.05. Lūgums atbrīvot no amata.

06.07.1767–08.05.1769
Parish of Snt. Gertrud
Rīgas Vecā Svētās Ģertrūdes Evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca
Strādā par mācītāja palīgu jeb adjunktu.

07.1767–09.05.1769
Parish of Jesus Church of Riga
Rīgas Jēzus baznīca
Strādā par mācītāja palīgu jeb adjunktu.

1771–1776
Bikeburga
Virsmācītājs un konsistorijas padomnieks, Herdera raksti būtiski ietekmē Vētras un dziņu laikmetu vācu literatūrā. Herdera piemiņai Bikeburgā uzstādīts piemineklis.

1776–1803
Evangelically Lutheran Parish in Weimar
Veimāra, Pētera un Pāvila baznīca
Herders ir Saksijas-Veimāras hercogistes ģenerālsuperintendents un Veimāras virsmācītājs, apglabāts Pētera Pāvila baznīcas, dzīvojis mājā blakus baznīcai.

1766–1768
Grāvenheides muiža
pavada vasaras draugu lokā Juglas ezera krastā un, iespējams, vēro latviešu Jāņu rituālu, sacer veltījuma dzejoli Grāvenheides muižai (1766)

01.10.1766
Biķeru (Biķernieku) evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca
Dalība pie baznīcas iesvētīšanas ar paša sacerētu tekstu apsveikuma kantātei.

1769–1771
Parīze
No 1769. gada rudens līdz 1771. gadam Herders ceļo: Parīze, Brisele, Antverpene, Amsterdama, Hamburga, Eitne (Eutin), Hanovera, Kasele, Getingene, Strasburga, Bikeburga

05.06.1769–15.07.1769
Nante
Jūras ceļojums kopā ar Rīgas paziņu Georgu Bērensu no Rīgas uz Nanti. Nantē Herders pavada laiku līdz 4. novembrim Bērensa draugu namā, tad dodas tālāk uz Parīzi, kurā ierodas 8. novembrī 1769. gadā

1803
Veimāra
Apglabāts Veimāras sv. Pētera un Pāvila baznīcā, kas tagad tiek saukta par Herdera baznīcu.