The University of Helmstedt (german: Universität Helmstedt; official

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

name: ''Academia Julia'', "Julius University"), was a

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 ...

Helmstedt Helmstedt (; Eastphalian: ''Helmstidde'') is a town on the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. The historic university and Hanseatic city conserves an important monumental heritage of ...

in the

Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a medieval country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important difference between " ...

that existed from 1576 until 1810.

History

Founded by and named after Duke Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel on 15 October 1576, the first university of the duchy and the first

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

university of the northern

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

quickly became one of the largest

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 **Ger ...

universities. In order to train pastors and administrators for work in the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

churches, the duchy needed a university of its own. In 1575, Julius obtained the Emperor's permission to open a university in Helmstedt. One year later the first lectures started. The princes of Wolfenbüttel held the office of the rector, starting with Julius' 12-year-old son John Henry.

Tilemann Heshusius Tilemann Heshusius (also ''Hesshus, Heßhusen, Hess Husen, Heshusen'') (3 November 1527 in Wesel — 25 September 1588 in Helmstedt) was a Gnesio-Lutheran theologian and Protestant reformer. Life Heshusius came from an influential family in W ...

was an important early Lutheran theologian at Helmstedt. He developed a clergy network in the region that supported other Helmstedt professors, including Daniel Hofmann, Gottfried Schulter, Basilius Sattler, and Tilemann's son,

Heinrich Heshusius Heinrich Heshusius (also ''Hesshus'') (July 1556 in Rostock – 15 October 1597 in Hildesheim) was a prominent third-generation German Lutheran pastor, superintendent, and polemicist. He was the second son of Tilemann Heshusius and Hanna von Bert, ...

. The university developed four faculties for

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 ...

, law,

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

and

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 ...

including the seven

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...

. The great auditorium, the ''Juleum Novum,'' was erected in 1592. In the late 18th century, Helmstedt lost popularity to newer universities, such as 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 ...

. It was closed in 1810 on initiative of

Johannes von Müller Johannes von Müller (3 January 1752 – 29 May 1809) was a Swiss historian. Biography He was born at Schaffhausen, where his father was a clergyman and rector of the gymnasium. In his youth, his maternal grandfather, Johannes Schoop (1696–1 ...

, director of public instruction in the Kingdom of Westphalia.

Famous professors and students in Helmstedt

Famous professors include: *

Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno (; ; la, Iordanus Brunus Nolanus; born Filippo Bruno, January or February 1548 – 17 February 1600) was an Italian philosopher, mathematician, poet, cosmological theorist, and Hermetic occultist. He is known for his cosmologic ...

, philosophy *

Georgius Calixtus Georg Calixtus, Kallisøn/Kallisön, or Callisen (14 December 1586 – 19 March 1656) was a German Lutheran theologian who looked to reconcile all Christendom by removing all differences that he deemed "unimportant". Biography Calixtus was born i ...

, theology *

Hermann Conring Hermann Conring (9 November 1606 – 12 December 1681) was a German intellectual. He made significant contributions to the study of medicine, politics and law. Descended from Lutheran clergy on both sides of his family, second-youngest of ten ch ...

, natural philosophy and rhetoric, medicine, politics (in succession) *

Hermann von der Hardt Hermann von der Hardt (November 15, 1660 – February 28, 1746) was a German historian and orientalist. He was born at Melle, in Westphalia (now in Lower Saxony). He studied oriental languages at the universities of Jena and Leipzig, and in 1690 ...

, oriental languages * Lorenz Heister, medicine *

, theology * Anton August Heinrich Lichtenstein, oriental languages *

Duncan Liddel Duncan Liddel (also Duncan Liddell; 1561 – 17 December 1613) was a Scottish mathematician, physician and astronomer. Life Liddel was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Having received an education in languages and philosophy at the local school and ...

, mathematics (from 1591 to 1607)Omodeo, Pietro Daniel. (2011) Sixteenth Century Professors of Mathematics at the University of Helmstedt: A Case Study on Renaissance Scholarly Work and Networks, Max-Planck-Institut Fur Wissenschaftsgeschicte (in publication), pp. 10-11 * Heinrich Meibom, history and poetry * Johann Friedrich Pfaff, mathematics *

Wilhelm Abraham Teller Wilhelm Abraham Teller (9 January 17349 December 1804) was a German Protestant theologian who championed a rational approach to Christianity. Life and career Teller was born in Leipzig. His father, Romanus Teller (1703–1750), was a pastor at Lei ...

, theology Famous students include: *

Caspar Abel Caspar Abel (14 July 1676 – 11 January 1763) was a German theologian, historian and poet. Abel was born in Hindenburg in der Altmark, the son of a pastor, and gained his theological education in Braunschweig and University of Helmstedt, Hel ...

, theologian *

Valens Acidalius Valens Acidalius (156725 May 1595), also known as Valtin Havekenthal, was a German critic and poet writing in the Latin language. Life Acidalius was born in Wittstock, the son of a Lutheran pastor. He studied at the universities of Rostock, Greifsw ...

, writer *

Anton Wilhelm Amo Anton Wilhelm Amo or Anthony William Amo (c. 1703 – c. 1759) was an African philosopher originally from what is now Ghana. Amo was a professor at the universities of Halle and Jena in Germany after studying there. He was brought to Germany by ...

, first black student in Europe * Johann Arndt, theologian * Christian Heinrich Bünger, anatomist * Sethus Calvisius, musician *

Joachim Heinrich Campe Joachim Heinrich Campe (29 June 1746 – 22 October 1818) was a German writer, linguist, educator and publisher. He was a major representative of philanthropinism and the German Enlightenment. Life Born to the merchant Burchard Hilmar Campe and ...

, writer *

David Caspari David Caspari (5 March 1648 – 28 February 1702) was a German Lutheran theologian. He was the father of Georg Caspari. Born in Königsberg, Duchy of Prussia, Caspari studied at the Albertina and the universities of Jena, Wittenberg, Leipzig, ...

, theologian * Carl Friedrich Gauss, mathematician *

Wilhelm Gesenius Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Gesenius (3 February 178623 October 1842) was a German orientalist, lexicographer, Christian Hebraist, Lutheran theologian, Biblical scholar and critic. Biography Gesenius was born at Nordhausen. In 1803 he became a s ...

, philologist *

Carl Benedict Hase Carl Benedict Hase (french: Charles Benoît Hase; 11 May 1780 – 21 March 1864) was a French Hellenist, of German extraction. Life Hase was born at Bad Sulza, Sulza near Naumburg. Having studied at University of Jena, Jena and University of H ...

, classicist *

Hoffmann von Fallersleben August Heinrich Hoffmann (, calling himself von Fallersleben, after his hometown; 2 April 179819 January 1874) was a German poet. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", whose third stanza is now the national anthem of Germany, an ...

, writer * Johann Georg Jacobi, writer * Augustus Quirinus Rivinus (August Bachmann), physician and botanist

References

External links

District of Helmstedt - The University (in German)
{{Authority control

1576 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 1810 disestablishments in Germany

Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Protestant universities and colleges in Europe

History

Famous professors and students in Helmstedt

See also

References

External links