Antoine Meyer
Encyclopedia
Antoine Meyer, also known as Antun or Tun Meyer (1801–1857) was a Luxembourg-born
mathematician and poet who later adopted Belgian
nationality. Sometimes referred to as the father of Luxembourgish literature, he is remembered for publishing the very first book in Luxembourgish, a collection of six poems entitled "E’ Schrek ob de’ Lezeburger Parnassus" (A Step up the Luxembourg Parnassus).
, Meyer was the son of Hubert
Meyer, a shoemaker, and his wife Elisabeth Kirschenbilder who lived in the centre of the old town close to the Place d'Armes
. After completing his secondary school education with flying colours at the local Athénée
, he studied mathematics at Liège
(1817–1823) where he was forced to give private lessons to his fellow students and help out in the library in order to pay for his studies. After receiving his doctorate, he spent an additional year in Paris studying at the Collège de France
and at the Sorbonne
where he came into contact with Europe's leading mathematicians.
in Luxembourg before moving to Breda
in the Netherlands
in 1828 where he worked at the newly opened Royal Military Academy. However, when two years later the Belgians rose up against the Dutch, he had to leave the country. After enormous difficulties, he finally succeeded in finding a job in Belgium
at a school in Louvain
. He spent a short period at the Institut Gaggia (1834) in Brussels but was then offered a post at the military school before going on to the Université Libre de Bruxelles
in 1838. In 1849, he became a professor of higher mathematics at the Université de Liège until his death in 1857. For historical reasons, after the separation of Belgian Luxembourg
, Meyer acquired Belgian nationality in 1842. The strong recognition he received for his mathematical publications and achievements testify to his full adoption by the Belgians. However, his poems show his lifelong attachment to Luxembourg.
and La Fontaine
built their stories around animals, Meyer personified inanimate objects. For example, in "D'Spéngel an d'Nol", the well-to-do Miss Needle tries but fails to override the Pin, reflecting the failure of the French aristocracy to prevent the French Revolution.
The mathematician went on to write three more poetic works as well as a booklet on spelling rules for Luxembourgish. A number of other poems by Antoine Meyer were published in the press. In his own words, Meyer's objective was to show that "the Luxembourg dialect is not as rough, poor, unregulated, stiff and barbarous as many born Luxembourgers would like to maintain". Félix Thyes
commented: "We see in Mr Meyer, that noble pride of the plebian, that instinct for liberty and often that burning concern for the poorer classes which can be found among all true poets of our times." It is now recognized that he succeeded in initiating the transformation of Luxembourgish into an acceptable literary language.
Antoine Meyer died in Liège on 29 April 1857.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
mathematician and poet who later adopted Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
nationality. Sometimes referred to as the father of Luxembourgish literature, he is remembered for publishing the very first book in Luxembourgish, a collection of six poems entitled "E’ Schrek ob de’ Lezeburger Parnassus" (A Step up the Luxembourg Parnassus).
Early life
Born on 31 May 1801 in Luxembourg CityLuxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
, Meyer was the son of Hubert
Meyer, a shoemaker, and his wife Elisabeth Kirschenbilder who lived in the centre of the old town close to the Place d'Armes
Place d'Armes (Luxembourg)
The Place d'Armes is a square in Luxembourg City in the south of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Centrally placed in the old town, it attracts large numbers of locals and visitors, especially in the summer months...
. After completing his secondary school education with flying colours at the local Athénée
Athénée de Luxembourg
The Athénée de Luxembourg , is a high school in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It's commonly called Stater Kolléisch or De Kolléisch, and is the nation's oldest high school.-Brief history:...
, he studied mathematics at Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
(1817–1823) where he was forced to give private lessons to his fellow students and help out in the library in order to pay for his studies. After receiving his doctorate, he spent an additional year in Paris studying at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
and at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
where he came into contact with Europe's leading mathematicians.
Career
Professionally, Meyer was a brilliant mathematics teacher. In 1826, he taught at the Collège royal at EchternachEchternach
Echternach is a commune with city status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg....
in Luxembourg before moving to Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1828 where he worked at the newly opened Royal Military Academy. However, when two years later the Belgians rose up against the Dutch, he had to leave the country. After enormous difficulties, he finally succeeded in finding a job in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
at a school in Louvain
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. He spent a short period at the Institut Gaggia (1834) in Brussels but was then offered a post at the military school before going on to the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
in 1838. In 1849, he became a professor of higher mathematics at the Université de Liège until his death in 1857. For historical reasons, after the separation of Belgian Luxembourg
Luxembourg (Belgium)
Luxembourg is the southernmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. It borders on the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, France, and the Belgian provinces of Namur and Liège. Its capital is Arlon, in the south-east of the province.It has an area of 4,443 km², making it the largest Belgian province...
, Meyer acquired Belgian nationality in 1842. The strong recognition he received for his mathematical publications and achievements testify to his full adoption by the Belgians. However, his poems show his lifelong attachment to Luxembourg.
Poetry
Antoine Meyer's publication of "E’ Schrek ob de’ Lezeburger Parnassus" in 1829 was not received with very much enthusiasm. There were however one or two strong supporters. Félix Thyes, who coincidentally was the first Luxembourger to publish a book in French, commented: "It is Monsieur Antoine Meyer, a mathematics professor at the University of Liège, who has the honour of being the first to rescue this tongue from the indifference and scorn in which it is immersed, creating, as it were, a new literature. The good Luxembourgers were amazed, one morning, when they heard that the learned mathematician had just published a small volume of poems in their own language." The book contains six poems, a love poem: "Uen d'Christine" (To Christine), a meditation on the romantic subject of night: "D'Nuecht" (The Night), a kind of real life painting: "Een Abléck an engem Wiertshaus zu Lëtzebuerg" (A Moment in a Luxembourg Inn), and three fables: "D'porzelains an d'ierde Schierbel" (The Shard of Porcelain and the Earthen Pot), "D'Spéngel an d'Nol" (The Pin and the Needle) and "D'Flou an de Pierdskrécher" (The Fly and the Horse Trough). In regard to the fables, it is interesting to note that while AesopAesop
Aesop was a Greek writer credited with a number of popular fables. Older spellings of his name have included Esop and Isope. Although his existence remains uncertain and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a...
and La Fontaine
Jean de La Fontaine
Jean de La Fontaine was the most famous French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his Fables, which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Europe and numerous alternative versions in France, and in French regional...
built their stories around animals, Meyer personified inanimate objects. For example, in "D'Spéngel an d'Nol", the well-to-do Miss Needle tries but fails to override the Pin, reflecting the failure of the French aristocracy to prevent the French Revolution.
The mathematician went on to write three more poetic works as well as a booklet on spelling rules for Luxembourgish. A number of other poems by Antoine Meyer were published in the press. In his own words, Meyer's objective was to show that "the Luxembourg dialect is not as rough, poor, unregulated, stiff and barbarous as many born Luxembourgers would like to maintain". Félix Thyes
Félix Thyes
Félix Thyes is recognized as the first Luxembourg author to write a novel in French. Marc Bruno, profil d'artiste was published shorty after his death in 1855. He was also the first literary historian to discuss literature written in Luxembourgish. -His novel:Marc Bruno: portrait d'un artiste is a...
commented: "We see in Mr Meyer, that noble pride of the plebian, that instinct for liberty and often that burning concern for the poorer classes which can be found among all true poets of our times." It is now recognized that he succeeded in initiating the transformation of Luxembourgish into an acceptable literary language.
Antoine Meyer died in Liège on 29 April 1857.
Works
- 1829: "E'Schrek ob de Lezeburger Parnassus". Collection of poems published in Luxembourg
- 1832: "Jong vum Schrek op de Lezeburger Parnassus". Collection of poems published in Louvain
- 1845: "Luxemburgische Gedichte und Fabeln". Together with works by Hubert Gloden. Published in Brussels
- 1853: "Oilzegt-Klâng". Collection of poems published in Liège
- 1854: "Règelbüchelchen vum lezeburger Orthoegraf". Rules of Luxembourg Spelling. Published in Liège