Jost Trier (15 December 1894 – 15 September 1970) was a German philologist who was Chair of
German Philology
German studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents and disseminates German language and literature in both its historic and present forms. Academic departments of German studies often include classes on German culture, German hi ...
at the
University of Münster
The University of Münster (german: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, WWU) is a public research university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.
With more than 43,000 students and over 120 fields of stud ...
from 1932 to 1961.
Biography
Jost Trier was born in
Schlitz, Hesse
Schlitz is a small town in the Vogelsbergkreis in eastern Hesse, Germany.
Geography
Location
The town of Schlitz lies at the outlet of the small river Schlitz on the Fulda.
Neighbouring communities
Schlitz borders in the north on the communitie ...
, Germany on 15 December 1894, the son of physician Jost Christian Ludwig Trier (1859-1939) and Else Nehrkorn. After graduating from gymnasium in
Barmen in 1914, Trier studied
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
philology,
German philology
German studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents and disseminates German language and literature in both its historic and present forms. Academic departments of German studies often include classes on German culture, German hi ...
,
comparative linguistics and
art history
Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
at the
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg (colloquially german: Uni Freiburg), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (german: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg), is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemb ...
. His studies were interrupted by
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, during which Trier served in the
Imperial German Army. He was eventually captured by the
French, and was since February 1915 interned in a prisoner of war camp in
French Algeria. Trier was infected by
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
in 1916, and was subsequently interned in
Switzerland, where he was able to continue his studies at the
University of Basel
The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis'', German: ''Universität Basel'') is a university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest surviving universit ...
(1916-1918). After the war, he continued his studies at the universities of
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
(1918-1919) and
Marburg
Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approxima ...
(1919-1920), and subsequently worked as a secondary school teacher. Trier gained his
PhD at the University of Freiburg in 1923 with a thesis on
ethnology
Ethnology (from the grc-gre, ἔθνος, meaning 'nation') is an academic field that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology). ...
,
etymology
Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...
and culture.
After gaining his PhD, Trier taught at the University of Marburg. Since 1932, Trier was Chair of German Philology at the
University of Münster
The University of Münster (german: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, WWU) is a public research university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.
With more than 43,000 students and over 120 fields of stud ...
. Trier specialized in
Germanic linguistics
Germanic philology is the philological study of the Germanic languages, particularly from a comparative or historical perspective.
The beginnings of research into the Germanic languages began in the 16th century, with the discovery of literary tex ...
, particularly
etymology
Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...
. He was a friend of Dutch philologist
Jan de Vries. A teacher and lecturer of considerable ability, Trier played an instrumental role in reviving the field of
German studies after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. He was the founder and leader of a number of important associations and institutes for German studies. From 1957 to 1957, Trier was Rector at the University of Münster. He retired in 1963.
Selected works
* ''Der Heilige Jodocus'', 1924
* ''Aufsätze und Vorträge zur Wortfeldtheorie'', 1973
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trier, Jost
1894 births
1970 deaths
Etymologists
German prisoners of war in World War I
Germanic studies scholars
Germanists
Humboldt University of Berlin alumni
Linguists from Germany
People from the Grand Duchy of Hesse
People from Vogelsbergkreis
University of Basel alumni
University of Freiburg alumni
University of Marburg alumni
University of Marburg faculty
University of Münster faculty
20th-century linguists
German Army personnel of World War I