Ernst Ortlepp
Encyclopedia
Ernst Ortlepp was a German
poet
.
Ortlepp was born in Droyßig
near Zeitz
as the son of a Lutheran
priest. He went to school in Pforta
until he was 19 years old and then studied theology
and philosophy
in Leipzig
. He left the university in 1824 without taking a degree.
Ortlepp returned to Leipzig during the thirties of the 19th century and became famous for his political poems. Some of them were dedicated to Poland
and its struggle for independence. Around this time he became an acquaintance of the young Richard Wagner
(Ortlepp also met Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
a few years before). His critical statements in Fieschi alarmed the Austria
n statesman Metternich
, who used his power to forbid the further publishment of this poem. Ortlepp finally became Leipzig's persona non grata
in 1836.
He went to Württemberg
, where he lived since 1837. In this period he made a living by translating the works of other poets like Lord Byron. Ortlepp tried to create a national poem, which he called Germania, during the Revolution of 1848
. His financial situation worsened and he was thrown out of Württemberg in 1853. He then returned to his homeland.
Ortlepp's life became even more unstable, after his failed attempt to become a college-teacher in 1856. He went into some trouble, probably caused by alcoholism
, and was imprisoned twice at Zeitz. That didn't terminate his poetical career as he was still published in a newspaper of Naumburg
. He also wrote verses for private customers.
During the last years of his life, he spent a lot of time at his old school, where several teachers and students became his friends. Among them was Friedrich Nietzsche
. Some biographers believe that Ortlepp was Nietzsche's mentor and deeply influenced him.
Ernst Ortlepp died near Pforta on June 14, 1864. The circumstances of his death remained mysterious. Nietzsche wrote the following words in a letter: Der alte Ortlepp ist übrigens todt. Zwischen Pforta und Almrich fiel er in einen Graben und brach den Nacken. In Pforta wurde er früh morgends bei düsterem Regen begraben; vier Arbeiter trugen den rohen Sarg; Prof. Keil folgte mit einem Regenschirm. Kein Geistlicher. Wir sprachen ihn am Todestag in Almrich. Er sagte, er gienge sich ein Logis im Saalthale zu miethen. Wir wollen ihm einen kleinen Denkstein setzen; wir haben gesammelt; wir haben an 40 Thl.
(translation: The old Ortlepp is dead, by the way. Between Pforta and Almrich, he fell in a roadside ditch and broke his neck. They buried him at Pforta under dusky rain in the early morning; four workers carried the crude coffin; Professor Keil followed with an umbrella. There was no priest. We talked to him at Almrich on the day of his death. He said he was going to rent an accommodation in the Saale valley. We want to erect a small monument for him; we have collected money, about 40 Thaler.)
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Ortlepp was born in Droyßig
Droyßig
Droyßig is a municipality in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.-History:Droyssig was first mentioned in a document in 1170. Albrecht von Turt made an establishment of a branch of the Knights Templar in 1214, who beared the nickname Droyssig from 1190. In 1312, afters the...
near Zeitz
Zeitz
Zeitz is a town in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Weiße Elster, in the middle of the triangle of the federal states Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Saxony.-History:...
as the son of a Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
priest. He went to school in Pforta
Pforta
Pforta, or Schulpforta, is a former Cistercian monastery, Pforta Abbey , near Naumburg on the Saale River in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is now a celebrated German public boarding school, called Landesschule Pforta...
until he was 19 years old and then studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. He left the university in 1824 without taking a degree.
Ortlepp returned to Leipzig during the thirties of the 19th century and became famous for his political poems. Some of them were dedicated to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and its struggle for independence. Around this time he became an acquaintance of the young Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
(Ortlepp also met Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
a few years before). His critical statements in Fieschi alarmed the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n statesman Metternich
Klemens Wenzel von Metternich
Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich was a German-born Austrian politician and statesman and was one of the most important diplomats of his era...
, who used his power to forbid the further publishment of this poem. Ortlepp finally became Leipzig's persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
in 1836.
He went to Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, where he lived since 1837. In this period he made a living by translating the works of other poets like Lord Byron. Ortlepp tried to create a national poem, which he called Germania, during the Revolution of 1848
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
. His financial situation worsened and he was thrown out of Württemberg in 1853. He then returned to his homeland.
Ortlepp's life became even more unstable, after his failed attempt to become a college-teacher in 1856. He went into some trouble, probably caused by alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, and was imprisoned twice at Zeitz. That didn't terminate his poetical career as he was still published in a newspaper of Naumburg
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town in Germany, on the Saale River. It is in the district Burgenlandkreis in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. It is approximately southwest of Leipzig, south-southwest of Halle, and north-northeast of Jena....
. He also wrote verses for private customers.
During the last years of his life, he spent a lot of time at his old school, where several teachers and students became his friends. Among them was Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
. Some biographers believe that Ortlepp was Nietzsche's mentor and deeply influenced him.
Ernst Ortlepp died near Pforta on June 14, 1864. The circumstances of his death remained mysterious. Nietzsche wrote the following words in a letter: Der alte Ortlepp ist übrigens todt. Zwischen Pforta und Almrich fiel er in einen Graben und brach den Nacken. In Pforta wurde er früh morgends bei düsterem Regen begraben; vier Arbeiter trugen den rohen Sarg; Prof. Keil folgte mit einem Regenschirm. Kein Geistlicher. Wir sprachen ihn am Todestag in Almrich. Er sagte, er gienge sich ein Logis im Saalthale zu miethen. Wir wollen ihm einen kleinen Denkstein setzen; wir haben gesammelt; wir haben an 40 Thl.
(translation: The old Ortlepp is dead, by the way. Between Pforta and Almrich, he fell in a roadside ditch and broke his neck. They buried him at Pforta under dusky rain in the early morning; four workers carried the crude coffin; Professor Keil followed with an umbrella. There was no priest. We talked to him at Almrich on the day of his death. He said he was going to rent an accommodation in the Saale valley. We want to erect a small monument for him; we have collected money, about 40 Thaler.)
Literature
- Der alte Ortlepp war's wohl doch by Hermann J. Schmidt. Alibri Verlag Aschaffenburg, 2004, ISBN 978-3-932710-69-8
- Tatsachen und Mutmaßungen über Ernst Ortlepp by Manfred Neuhaus. Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt 2005, ISBN 978-3-8334-2303-1
External links
- Nietzsche and Ortlepp (in English)
- The Ernst-Ortlepp-Society (in German)
- The Ernst Ortlepp Library (in German)
- An article about the 200th birthday of Ernst Ortlepp (in German)