Théodore Beck (1839–1936) was a French

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

pastor and educator from

Alsace–Lorraine Alsace–Lorraine (German language, German: ''Elsaß–Lothringen''), officially the Imperial Territory of Alsace–Lorraine (), was a territory of the German Empire, located in modern-day France. It was established in 1871 by the German Empire ...

, and a longtime director of the

École alsacienne The École alsacienne is a co-educational private school located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. The school was founded by a group of French Alsatians after the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. It then became a model for reforming th ...

in Paris.

Biography

Beck was born in Oberseebach, on 8 July 1839, the son of a pastor, Jean Beck, and Sophie Julie Roehrich. He studied theology in

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

and

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

, and was ordained in 1862. He became a vicar in

Colmar Colmar (; ; or ) is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin department and Alsace region of north-eastern France. The third-largest commune in Alsace (after Strasbourg and Mulhouse), it is the seat of the prefecture of the Haut-Rhin department ...

, a pastor and administrator in

Muttersholtz Muttersholtz (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Bas-Rhin Departments of France, department in Alsace in north-eastern France. Population See also * Communes of the Bas-Rhin department References

Communes of Bas-Rhin Bas ...

(from 1813 to 1908) and in

Masevaux Masevaux ( is the French name of Màsmìnschter (), a former Communes of France, commune in the Haut-Rhin Departments of France, department in north-eastern France. Demographic evolution History On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new com ...

(from 1867 to 1872), and was a pastor in Strasbourg until 1880, when he came in conflict with the German authorities (Alsace having been annexed into the German empire in 1871). He left the region in 1880 to become a professor of German at the

in Paris, founded in 1874. The ''Revue Alsacienne'' noted that his departure from Strasbourg was regretted by his parishioners, despite the insults hurled at him "by a certain German press". Beck succeeded F. Rieder (likewise a pastor) as director of the École alsacienne in 1891 and worked in that position until 1922. He had been interested in educational matters for a long time; in Muttersholz, he had set up a program for adult education, and during his ministry in Strasbourg had started a boarding school for young girls. Education at the École alsacienne differed from traditional schools. There were no end-of-year awards, only "a simple public attestation as satisfactory (with mention of good or very good) for those who deserve it"; discipline did not involve corporal punishment. He and his educational expertise are credited with the École alsacienne's growth. He was made a Commander in the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

in 1929. He died in Paris, on 18 July 1936.

Educational and other publications

Beck wrote a number of textbooks and manuals for secondary education, including the ''Cours élémentaire de langue allemande'' (with A. Bossert; 3rd ed. 1905) and ''Lectures pratiques allemandes'' (1902). He also contributed to the ''Cinquantenaire de l'École alsacienne'' (1924), and edited the journal ''Le Progrès religieux''. He also published a memoir, ''Mes souvenirs 1890–1922'' (Paris: Fischbacher, 1934).

Biography

Educational and other publications

References

Further reading