Friedrich Anton von Heynitz (14 May 1725 – 15 May 1802) was an aristocrat and

cameralist Cameralism (German: ''Kameralismus'') was a German science of public administration in the 18th and early 19th centuries that aimed at strong management of a centralized economy for the benefit mainly of the state. The discipline in its most na ...

in Saxony who founded the oldest mining school in the world, the Bergakademie Freiberg. He studied mining and was involved in reforming the mining and metallurgy industry in Prussia. His economic principles were of a moderate mercantilism, anti-monopolistic, and supported an enlightened absolutism. Heynitzoppelplaque

Heynitz was born in Dröschkau, near

Torgau Torgau () is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen. Outside Germany, the town is best known as where on 25 April 1945, the United States and Soviet Armies forces first ...

, where his father Georg Ernst (1692–1751) was a privy councillor and a member of the royal counsel. His mother Sophie Dorothea came from the influential von Hardenberg family. He was educated at the royal school in

Pforta Pforta, or Schulpforta, is a school located in Pforta monastery, a former Cistercian monastery (1137–1540), near Naumburg on the Saale River in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. The site has been a school since the 16th century. Notable past ...

after which he studied natural sciences at

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

followed by studies in mining and metallurgy at Kösen (1742) and Freiberg (1744-45). In 1746 he was appointed inspector in the mining council at Blankenburg and he travelled through Sweden, Hungary and Styria to study mining there. In 1762 he became a chief inspector of the mines (Vizeberghauptmann) with the Lower Harz region under his jurisdiction. In 1764 he became General Mining Commissioner for Saxony and was involved in major reforms including a proposal for the establishment of the Bergakademie Freiberg along with the Commissioner for Freiberg,

Friedrich Wilhelm von Oppel Friedrich may refer to: Names *Friedrich (surname), people with the surname ''Friedrich'' *Friedrich (given name), people with the given name ''Friedrich'' Other *Friedrich (board game), a board game about Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' ...

, in 1765. The proposal was accepted by Prince Xaver but the growth was affected by the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754� ...

. He resigned his position in 1774 after differences of opinion over the establishment of Saxon salt works. He then began studies in economics and languages at his estate and travelled through France and England. In 1777 he was offered a position by

Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...

and became a Chief of mining, overseeing mines in Silesia, Westphalia and Saxony. He worked on reforms in taxation, changes in management, improvements to transport infrastructure and other commercial aspects. He helped grow both state-owned and private industry. He reintroduced mining in Tarnowitz and established the first coke blast furnace in

Gliwice Gliwice (; german: Gleiwitz) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. The city is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river (a tributary of the Oder). It lies approximately 25 km west from Katowice, the regional cap ...

in 1796. The Berlin Bergakademie was started in 1770 along the lines of the one at Freiberg and he helped reorganize it. He also helped found the

Bauakademie The Bauakademie (''Building Academy'') in Berlin, Germany, was a higher education school for the art of building to train master builders. It originated from the construction department of the Academy of Fine Arts and Mechanical Sciences (from ...

in Berlin in 1798. Heynitz served under three kings and was awarded the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King ...

in 1791.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heynitz, Friedrich Anton von 1725 births 1802 deaths German mining businesspeople