Stanislaus Mink von Wennsshein
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Johann Just Winckelmann (19 August 1620 – 3 July 1699) was a German writer and historian. Under his pseudonym Stanislaus Mink von Wennsshein (also Wenusheim, Winusheim) he is known for having introduced a
mnemonic A mnemonic ( ) device, or memory device, is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval (remembering) in the human memory for better understanding. Mnemonics make use of elaborative encoding, retrieval cues, and imag ...
system, the
Major System The major system (also called the phonetic number system, phonetic mnemonic system, or Herigone's mnemonic system) is a mnemonic technique used to aid in memorizing numbers. The system works by converting numbers into consonants, then into words ...
(also called phonetic system or phonetic mnemonic system), used for memorizing numbers.


Life

Johann Just Winckelmann was born in
Gießen Giessen, spelled Gießen in German (), is a town in the German state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of both the district of Giessen and the administrative region of Giessen. The population is approximately 90,000, with roughly 37,000 univers ...
in 1620, the youngest of the known sons of the theologian . His mother was his father's fourth wife, and by the time of his birth his father was nearly 70. After his father died, in 1626, his mother sent him away to live with relatives near
Butzbach Butzbach () is a town in the Wetteraukreis district in Hessen, Germany. It is located approximately 16 km south of Gießen and 35 km north of Frankfurt am Main. In 2007, the town hosted the 47th Hessentag state festival from 1 to 10 June ...
, where he was provided with a classical schooling. He was moved in 1633 to
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 approximate ...
: here he attended the Pädagogium (school) and then moved on to the
University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
. His studies embraced
Theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
,
Philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
,
Jurisprudence Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...
and
Historical method Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that historians use to research and write histories of the past. Secondary sources, primary sources and material evidence such as that derived from archaeology may all be drawn o ...
. He also attended the lectures of
Johann Balthasar Schupp Johann Balthasar Schupp (1 March 1610 – 26 October 1661) was a German satirical author and a writer of Christian lyrics. After 1654, his having switched mid-career to a position as a high-profile Lutheran pastor, the content and populist appr ...
who had a reputation as a writer of satire and religious works. Winckelmann received his
Magister degree A magister degree (also magistar, female form: magistra; from la, magister, "teacher") is an academic degree used in various systems of higher education. The magister degree arose in medieval universities in Europe and was originally equal to the ...
in 1639 and went on to undertake further study at the
Herborn Academy The Herborn Academy ( la, Academia Nassauensis) was a Calvinist institution of higher learning in Herborn from 1584 to 1817. The Academy was a centre of encyclopaedic Ramism and the birthplace of both covenant theology and pansophism. Its faculty ...
. A period of travel followed, focusing on
Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
, before he returned to his homeland. He now entered into the service of
George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt George II of Hesse-Darmstadt, german: Georg II von Hessen-Darmstadt (17 March 1605, in Darmstadt – 11 June 1661) was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1626 to 1661. He was the son of Ludwig V and Magdalene of Brandenburg. He married Sop ...
, taking part in the storming of
Butzbach Butzbach () is a town in the Wetteraukreis district in Hessen, Germany. It is located approximately 16 km south of Gießen and 35 km north of Frankfurt am Main. In 2007, the town hosted the 47th Hessentag state festival from 1 to 10 June ...
on 20 April 1646. It would be another two years before the destructive warfare finally ended, but in the meantime Wincklemann's own priorities turned back to scholarship, and he made a proposal to the Landgrave that he should prepare a comprehensive history of the Hesse-Darmstadt Landgraviate. The proposal was accepted: Winckelmann was appointed the Landgrave's official historiographer and given access to all the relevant archives and registries. He set to work with energy, acquiring a number of manuscript chronicles, procuring copies of important documents, copying inscriptions and travelling extensively, because he was also keen to be able to include descriptions of the land and its people, and to observe for himself the towns and fortresses, antiquities and monuments, mines and manufacturing operations. It is not clear what plans may have existed to have Winckelmann's historical work on Hesse-Darmstadt printed and published, but in 1653 none of it had been printed and Winckelmann moved to the court of
Anthony Günther, Count of Oldenburg Anthony Günther, Count of Oldenburg (aka Anton Günther, 10 November 158319 June 1667) was an Imperial Count and a member of the House of Oldenburg Günther was born in Oldenburg and was the ruling count of Oldenburg from 1603 until his death i ...
. His work continued to be literature and history based. A work he completed at his new patron's instigation was ''"Oldenburgische Friedens- und der benachbarten Oerter Kriegshandlungen"''. He also continued to work on his still unpublished chronicle of
Hessen Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Darm ...
. The first four of the eight volumes which, at this stage, he envisaged for the complete work were submitted to the Commission responsible for checking and censorship between 1654 and 1657 in both Hessen-Darmstadt. However, for a range of emerging political considerations it became apparent that permission to have these volumes printed would not be granted any time soon. Winckelmann took the opportunity of his patron's death in 1667 to move away in order to arrange for the publication of the work for himself, ending up in
Breman Bremen () is a home rule-class city in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 172 at the 2020 census. History The city was settled by German immigrants who named it after Bremen, Germany. A post office called Brem ...
. Eventually, in 1697, he partially succeeded when the first five volumes were printed and published. By this time, however, interest had cooled in the more socio-economic aspects of the works, covering matters such as agriculture, land use and manufacturing, and many of the maps and drawings that he had gathered went unused. Nevertheless, by the time he died, in deep poverty, on 3 July 1699, a sixth volume incorporating some of these elements had been prepared and was ready for printing.


References


External links


Stanisl. Mink von Weunßhem: Relatio novissima ex parnasso de arte reminiscentiae, Das ist: Neue wahrhafte Zeitung aus dem Parnassus von der Gedechtniß-Kunst.
- original publication in German and Latin, ca. 1648, digital facsimile. {{DEFAULTSORT:Winckelmann, Johann Just 17th-century German historians Linguists from Germany 1620 births 1699 deaths