Adam Weishaupt
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Johann Adam Weishaupt (; 6 February 1748 – 18 November 1830)''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'
Vol. 41, p. 539
Engel, Leopold. ''Geschichte des Illuminaten-ordens''. Berlin: H. Bermühler Verlag, 1906.van Dülmen, Richard. ''Der Geheimbund der Illuminaten''. Stuttgart: Frommann-Holzboog, 1975.Stauffer, Vernon. '' ew Englandand the Bavarian Illuminati''.
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, 1918.
was a
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
philosopher, professor of civil law and later canon law, and founder of the
Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...
.


Early life

Adam Weishaupt was born on 6 February 1748 in
Ingolstadt Ingolstadt (, Austro-Bavarian: ) is an independent city on the Danube in Upper Bavaria with 139,553 inhabitants (as of June 30, 2022). Around half a million people live in the metropolitan area. Ingolstadt is the second largest city in Upper Ba ...
Enge
22
in the
Electorate of Bavaria The Electorate of Bavaria (german: Kurfürstentum Bayern) was an independent hereditary electorate of the Holy Roman Empire from 1623 to 1806, when it was succeeded by the Kingdom of Bavaria. The Wittelsbach dynasty which ruled the Duchy of Ba ...
. Weishaupt's father
Johann Georg Weishaupt Johann Georg Weishaupt (24 April 1717 – 20 September 1753) was a professor of law at the University of Ingolstadt. Weishaupt was born in Brilon in the Prussian government district of Arnsberg in Westphalia. He studied law in the University of W ...
(1717–1753) died when Adam was five years old. After his father's death he came under the tutelage of his godfather Johann Adam Freiherr von Ickstatt who, like his father, was a professor of law at the
University of Ingolstadt The University of Ingolstadt was founded in 1472 by Louis the Rich, the Duke of Bavaria at the time, and its first Chancellor was the Bishop of Eichstätt. It consisted of five faculties: humanities, sciences, theology, law, and medicine, all o ...
. Ickstatt was a proponent of the philosophy of Christian Wolff and of the Enlightenment, and he influenced the young Weishaupt with his
rationalism In philosophy, rationalism is the epistemological view that "regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge" or "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification".Lacey, A.R. (1996), ''A Dictionary of Philosophy ...
. Weishaupt began his formal education at age seven at a
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
school. He later enrolled at the University of Ingolstadt and graduated in 1768 at age 20 with a
doctorate of law A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL ...
. In 1772 he became a professor of law. The following year he married Afra Sausenhofer of
Eichstätt Eichstätt () is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the district of Eichstätt. It is located on the Altmühl river and has a population of around 13,000. Eichstätt is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese ...
. After
Pope Clement XIV Pope Clement XIV ( la, Clemens XIV; it, Clemente XIV; 31 October 1705 – 22 September 1774), born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 May 1769 to his death in Sep ...
's
suppression of the Society of Jesus The suppression of the Jesuits was the removal of all members of the Society of Jesus from most of the countries of Western Europe and their colonies beginning in 1759, and the abolishment of the order by the Holy See in 1773. The Jesuits were ...
in 1773, Weishaupt became a professor of
canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...
, a position that was held exclusively by the
Jesuits , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...
until that time. In 1775 Weishaupt was introduced to the empirical philosophy of
Johann Georg Heinrich Feder Johann Georg Heinrich Feder (; 15 May 1740 – 22 May 1821) was a German philosopher. Life Feder was born on 15 May 1740 in the village of Schornweisach (now a part of Uehlfeld, Bavaria) in the Principality of Bayreuth, the son of Martin Heinr ...
of the
University of Göttingen The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen, (german: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, known informally as Georgia Augusta) is a public research university in the city of Göttingen, Germany. Founded ...
. Both Feder and Weishaupt would later become opponents of
Kantian Kantianism is the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher born in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia). The term ''Kantianism'' or ''Kantian'' is sometimes also used to describe contemporary positions in philosophy of mind, ...
idealism In philosophy, the term idealism identifies and describes metaphysical perspectives which assert that reality is indistinguishable and inseparable from perception and understanding; that reality is a mental construct closely connected t ...
.


Foundation of the Illuminati

On 1 May 1776 Johann Adam Weishaupt founded the "Illuminati" in the Electorate of Bavaria. Initially Illumination was designated for a group of outstanding and enlightened individuals in the society. Indeed, the word was adapted from a Latin root, ''Iluminatus,'' which directly translates to "enlightened." He also adopted the name of "Brother
Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...
" within the order. Even encyclopedia references vary on the goal of the order, such as ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' (1910) saying the Order was not
egalitarian Egalitarianism (), or equalitarianism, is a school of thought within political philosophy that builds from the concept of social equality, prioritizing it for all people. Egalitarian doctrines are generally characterized by the idea that all hu ...
or democratic internally, but sought to promote the doctrines of equality and freedom throughout society;Catholic Encyclopedia
Illuminati
while others such as ''Collier's'' have said the aim was to combat religion and foster rationalism in its place. The Illuminati was formed with the vision of liberating humans from religious bondage and undermining corrupted governments. The actual character of the society was an elaborate network of spies and counter-spies. Each isolated cell of initiates reported to a superior, whom they did not know: a party structure that was effectively adopted by some later groups. Weishaupt was initiated into the
Masonic lodge A Masonic lodge, often termed a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also commonly used as a term for a building in which such a unit meets. Every new lodge must be warranted or chartered ...
"Theodor zum guten Rath", at Munich in 1777. His project of "illumination, enlightening the understanding by the sun of reason, which will dispel the clouds of superstition and of prejudice" was an unwelcome reform. He used
Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
to recruit for his own quasi-masonic society, with the goal of "perfecting human nature" through re-education to achieve a communal state with nature, freed of government and organized religion. Presenting their own system as pure masonry, Weishaupt and Adolph Freiherr Knigge, who organised his ritual structure, greatly expanded the secret organisation. Contrary to Immanuel Kant's famous dictum that Enlightenment (and Weishaupt's Order was in some respects an expression of the Enlightenment Movement) was the passage by man out of his 'self-imposed immaturity' through daring to 'make use of his own reason, without the guidance of another,' Weishaupt's Order of Illuminati prescribed in great detail everything which the members had obediently to read and think, so that Dr. Wolfgang Riedel has commented that this approach to illumination or enlightenment constituted a degradation and twisting of the Kantian principle of Enlightenment. Riedel writes: ::'The independence of thought and judgement required by Kant ... was specifically prevented by the Order of the Illuminati's rules and regulations. Enlightenment takes place here, if it takes place at all, precisely ''under'' the direction of another, namely under that of the "Superiors" f the Order Weishaupt's radical rationalism and vocabulary were not likely to succeed. Writings that were intercepted in 1784 were interpreted as seditious, and the Society was banned by the government of Karl Theodor, Elector of Bavaria, in 1784. Weishaupt lost his position at the University of Ingolstadt and fled Bavaria.


Activities in exile

He received the assistance of Duke Ernest II of
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg () was a duchy ruled by the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin in today's Thuringia, Germany. The extinction of the line in 1825 led to a major re-organisation of the Thuringian states. History In 1640 the sons of the l ...
(1745–1804), and lived in
Gotha Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the Gotha (district), district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine House of Wet ...
writing a series of works on illuminism, including ''A Complete History of the Persecutions of the Illuminati in Bavaria'' (1785), ''A Picture of Illuminism'' (1786), ''An Apology for the Illuminati'' (1786), and ''An Improved System of Illuminism'' (1787). Adam Weishaupt died in Gotha on 18 November 1830. He was survived by his second wife, Anna Maria (née Sausenhofer), and his children Nanette, Charlotte, Ernst,
Karl Karl may refer to: People * Karl (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Karl der Große, commonly known in English as Charlemagne * Karl Marx, German philosopher and political writer * Karl of Austria, last Austria ...
, Eduard, and Alfred. His body was buried next to that of his son Wilhelm, who preceded him in death (in 1802), at
Friedhof II der Sophiengemeinde Berlin The Friedhof II der Sophiengemeinde Berlin is a Protestant cemetery of the Sophienkirche in Berlin-Mitte, Germany. Notable interments (*) = An Ehrengrab awarded by the "Landes Berlin" * Adam Weishaupt German philosopher, professor of civil ...
, a Protestant cemetery. After Weishaupt's Order of Illuminati was banned and its members dispersed, it left behind no enduring traces of influence, not even on its own erstwhile members, who went on to develop in quite different directions.


Assessment of character and intentions

Weishaupt's character and intentions have been variously assessed. Some took a negative view, such as
Augustin Barruel Augustin Barruel (October 2, 1741 – October 5, 1820) was a French publicist and Jesuit priest. He is now mostly known for setting forth the conspiracy theory involving the Bavarian Illuminati and the Jacobins in his book ''Memoirs Illustrating ...
, who despite writing that Weishaupt's goals were that "Equality and Liberty, together with the most absolute independence, are to be the substitutes for all rights and all property" saw this as more dangerous than beneficial, and John Robison, who regarded Weishaupt as a 'human devil' and saw his mission as one of malevolent destructiveness. Others took a more positive view, including
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
, who wrote in a letter to
James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for h ...
that "Barruel’s own parts of the book are perfectly the ravings of a Bedlamite" and considered Weishaupt to be an "enthusiastic Philanthropist" who believed in the indefinite perfectibility of man, and believed that the intention of Jesus Christ was simply to "reinstate natural religion, and by diffusing the light of his morality, to teach us to govern ourselves". In his defence, Weishaupt wrote a ''Kurze Rechtfertigung meiner Absichten'' (A Brief Justification of my Intentions) in 1787. Dr. Tony Page comments: ::"Weishaupt’s plan was to educate Illuminati followers in the highest levels of humanity and morality (basing his teachings on the supremacy of Reason, allied with the spirit of the Golden Rule of not doing to others what one would not wish done to oneself), so that if Illuminati alumni subsequently attained positions of significance and power (such as in the fields of education and politics), they could exert a benevolent and uplifting influence upon society at large. His project was utopian and naively optimistic, and he himself was certainly not without flaws of character – but neither he nor his plan was evil or violent in and of themselves. It is one of the deplorable and tragic ironies of history that a man who tried to inculcate virtue, philanthropy, social justice and morality has become one of the great hate-figures of 21st-century 'conspiracy' thinking."


Works


Philosophical works

* (1775) ''De Lapsu Academiarum Commentatio Politica''. * (1786) ''Über die Schrecken des Todes – eine philosophische Rede''. ** ''Discours Philosophique sur les Frayeurs de la Mort'' (1788)
Gallica
* (1786) ''Über Materialismus und Idealismus''
Torino
* (1788) ''Geschichte der Vervollkommnung des menschlichen Geschlechts''. * (1788) ''Über die Gründe und Gewißheit der Menschlichen Erkenntniß''. * (1788) ''Über die Kantischen Anschauungen und Erscheinungen''. * (1788) ''Zweifel über die Kantischen Begriffe von Zeit und Raum''. * (1793) ''Über Wahrheit und sittliche Vollkommenheit''. * (1794) ''Über die Lehre von den Gründen und Ursachen aller Dinge''. * (1794) ''Über die Selbsterkenntnis, ihre Hindernisse und Vorteile''. * (1797) ''Über die Zwecke oder Finalursachen''. * (1802) ''Über die Hindernisse der baierischen Industrie und Bevölkerung''. * (1804) ''Die Leuchte des Diogenes''. * (1817) ''Über die Staats-Ausgaben und Auflagen''
Google Books
* (1818) ''Über das Besteuerungs-System''.


Works relating to the Illuminati

*(1786) ''Apologie der Illuminaten'', . *(1786) ''Vollständige Geschichte der Verfolgung der Illuminaten in Bayern''. *(1786) ''Schilderung der Illuminaten''. *(1787) ''Einleitung zu meiner Apologie''. *(1787) ''Einige Originalschriften des Illuminatenordens''... *(1787) ''Nachtrage von weitern Originalschriften''... *(1787) ''Kurze Rechtfertigung meiner Absichten''. *(1787) ''Nachtrag zur Rechtfertigung meiner Absichten''. *(1787) ''Apologie des Mißvergnügens und des Übels''. *(1787) ''Das Verbesserte System der Illuminaten''. *(1788) ''Der ächte Illuminat, oder die wahren, unverbesserten Rituale der Illuminaten''. *(1795) ''Pythagoras, oder Betrachtungen über die geheime Welt- und Regierungs-Kunst''. Source


Works by Adam Weishaupt in English translation

*(2008) ''Diogenes' Lamp, or an Examination of Our Present Day Morality and Enlightenment'', translated by Amelia Gill, The Masonic Book Club
Internet Archive
*(2015) ''The Secret School of Wisdom: The Authentic Rituals and Doctrines of the Illuminati'', translated by Jeva Singh-Anand, edited by Josef Wäges and Reinhard Markner, London: Lewis Masonic, 447 pp.,


Notes


External links

* Biography in ''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'
Vol. 41, pp. 539–550
by Daniel Jacoby.

by Trevor W. McKeown.

entry in
The Catholic Encyclopedia The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...
, hosted by
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. {{DEFAULTSORT:Weishaupt, Adam 1748 births 1830 deaths People from Ingolstadt People from the Electorate of Bavaria Enlightenment philosophers German philosophers 18th-century philosophers University of Ingolstadt alumni University of Ingolstadt faculty German Freemasons 18th-century German male writers