Hermann Weller
Encyclopedia
Hermann Weller was a German
Indiologist and neo-Latin poet born in Schwäbisch Gmünd
, died in Tübingen
. He is considered the Horace
of the twentieth century.
After his studies in Tübingen, the classical philologist
taught as a school teacher in the Ellwangen
Gymnasium
between 1913 and 1931. He also held a position at the Ehingen
Gymnasium. In 1930 he qualified as a university teacher in Tübingen.
Weller was already so famous by 1931 that in that year the Ellwangen town council decided to name a street after him.
from a volume of Horace's poetry become alive, and how A calls in a demagogic speech for the extermination of the foreign letter Y. Y escapes and tries through words (myths, mysticism, rhythm, and physics) to prove its right to exist, but the other letters do not allow themselves to be convinced, and are in the process of excluding Y. The poet asks for release and awakes from this nightmare.
Weller, a private senior lecturer, at Tübingen University, submitted the Y Elegy at the end of 1937, to the Certamen Hoeufftianum, a competition of neo-Latin poetry of the Royal Dutch Academy of Wetenschappen (KNAW) held annually in Amsterdam
, which he won thirteen times in the course of his life. In 1938 Weller was awarded the Gold Medal for this text. The fact that Weller could be promoted to the position of Special Professor in the same year (despite certain doubts on account of his Catholicism
) shows that knowledge of Latin
among Nazi
officials was not wide.
The Latin scholar, Uwe Dubielzig, recognised in 2001 that the text was a playfully disguised accusation against the ever more apparent anti-Semitism
of the Nazis, the effects of which Weller could observe in his immediate surroundings of Tübingen University. Additionally, if the text cannot be read as a document of anti-fascist resistance, it is still a spirited but camouflaged document opposing the Nazi racist politics, the full brutality of which, before the pogrom of the so-called Reichskristallnacht, Weller would have underestimated, (as did Charlie Chaplin
even in 1940 in his film The Great Dictator
). In that sense the Y Elegy can be assessed as a remarkable testimony for 'internal emigration'.
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...
Indiologist and neo-Latin poet born in Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Schwäbisch Gmünd is a town in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 62,000, the town is the second largest in the Ostalbkreis and the whole region of East Württemberg after Aalen...
, died in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
. He is considered the Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
of the twentieth century.
After his studies in Tübingen, the classical philologist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
taught as a school teacher in the Ellwangen
Ellwangen
Ellwangen an der Jagst, officially Ellwangen , in common use simply Ellwangen is a town in the district of Ostalbkreis in the east of Baden-Württemberg in Germany...
Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
between 1913 and 1931. He also held a position at the Ehingen
Ehingen
Ehingen is a town in the Alb-Donau district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, situated on the left bank of the Danube, approx. 25 km southwest of Ulm and 67 km southeast of Stuttgart.-Statistics:...
Gymnasium. In 1930 he qualified as a university teacher in Tübingen.
Weller was already so famous by 1931 that in that year the Ellwangen town council decided to name a street after him.
The Y Elegy
Weller wrote the neo-Latin Y Elegy, which describes how in a poet's dream the letters of the alphabetAlphabet
An alphabet is a standard set of letters—basic written symbols or graphemes—each of which represents a phoneme in a spoken language, either as it exists now or as it was in the past. There are other systems, such as logographies, in which each character represents a word, morpheme, or semantic...
from a volume of Horace's poetry become alive, and how A calls in a demagogic speech for the extermination of the foreign letter Y. Y escapes and tries through words (myths, mysticism, rhythm, and physics) to prove its right to exist, but the other letters do not allow themselves to be convinced, and are in the process of excluding Y. The poet asks for release and awakes from this nightmare.
Weller, a private senior lecturer, at Tübingen University, submitted the Y Elegy at the end of 1937, to the Certamen Hoeufftianum, a competition of neo-Latin poetry of the Royal Dutch Academy of Wetenschappen (KNAW) held annually in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, which he won thirteen times in the course of his life. In 1938 Weller was awarded the Gold Medal for this text. The fact that Weller could be promoted to the position of Special Professor in the same year (despite certain doubts on account of his Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
) shows that knowledge of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
among Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
officials was not wide.
The Latin scholar, Uwe Dubielzig, recognised in 2001 that the text was a playfully disguised accusation against the ever more apparent anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
of the Nazis, the effects of which Weller could observe in his immediate surroundings of Tübingen University. Additionally, if the text cannot be read as a document of anti-fascist resistance, it is still a spirited but camouflaged document opposing the Nazi racist politics, the full brutality of which, before the pogrom of the so-called Reichskristallnacht, Weller would have underestimated, (as did Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
even in 1940 in his film The Great Dictator
The Great Dictator
The Great Dictator is a comedy film by Charlie Chaplin released in October 1940. Like most Chaplin films, he wrote, produced, and directed, in addition to starring as the lead. Having been the only Hollywood film maker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound films, this was...
). In that sense the Y Elegy can be assessed as a remarkable testimony for 'internal emigration'.