Christian Friedrich Schwarz
Encyclopedia
Christian Friedrich Schwarz (also Schwartz) (1726–1798) was a German
Lutheran Protestant missionary
to India
, born on 8 October 1726 at Sonnenburg, in the electorate of Brandenburg
, Prussia
. Having learned Tamil
to assist in a translation of the Bible
into that language, he was led to form the intention of becoming a missionary to India. He received ordination at Copenhagen
on 8 August 1749, and, after spending some time in England
to acquire the English language
, embarked early in 1750 for India.
He arrived at Tiruchirapalli
on 30 July via Tranquebar. Tranquebar
was for some time his headquarters, but he paid frequent visits to Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli, and in 1766 moved to Tiruchirapalli. Here he acted as chaplain
to the garrison, who erected a church for his general use.
In 1769 he secured the friendship of the raja
of Thanjavur, who, although he never embraced Christianity
, afforded him every countenance in his missionary labours. Shortly before his death he committed to Schwarz the education of his adopted son and successor. Schwarz taught the prince, Prince Serfoji
, and another slightly older pupil Vedanayagam
using the gurukulam approach, where teacher and taught live together.
In 1779 Schwarz undertook, at the request of the British authorities in Madras (present day Chennai
), a private embassy to Hyder Ali
, the ruler of Mysore. When Hyder invaded the Carnatic, Schwarz was allowed to pass through the enemy's camp without molestation. After twelve years in Tiruchirapalli he removed to Thanjavur, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died on 13 February 1798.
Schwarz's direct success in making converts exceeded that of any other Protestant missionary in India, in addition to which he succeeded in winning the esteem of Muslim
s and Hindu
s. The raja of Tanjore erected a monument, executed by Flaxman, in the mission church, in which he is represented as grasping the hand of the dying missionary and receiving his benediction. A splendid monument to Schwarz by Bacon was placed by the British East India Company
in St Mary's church at Chennai. Schwarz High School in Ramanathapuram has nurtured many a young scholar, noteworthy among whom is Dr.Abdul Kalam
, the former President of India.
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...
Lutheran Protestant missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, born on 8 October 1726 at Sonnenburg, in the electorate of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. Having learned Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
to assist in a translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into that language, he was led to form the intention of becoming a missionary to India. He received ordination at Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on 8 August 1749, and, after spending some time in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to acquire the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, embarked early in 1750 for India.
He arrived at Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirappalli ) , also called Tiruchi or Trichy , is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli District. It is the fourth largest municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu and also the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state...
on 30 July via Tranquebar. Tranquebar
Tranquebar
Tharangambadi is a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, 15 km north of Karaikal, near the mouth of a distributary of the Kaveri River. Its name means "place of the singing waves"...
was for some time his headquarters, but he paid frequent visits to Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli, and in 1766 moved to Tiruchirapalli. Here he acted as chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the garrison, who erected a church for his general use.
In 1769 he secured the friendship of the raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Thanjavur, who, although he never embraced Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, afforded him every countenance in his missionary labours. Shortly before his death he committed to Schwarz the education of his adopted son and successor. Schwarz taught the prince, Prince Serfoji
Serfoji II
Serfoji II was the last ruler of the Maratha principality of Tanjore to exercise absolute sovereignty over his dominions. His descendants, however, have managed to thrive as titular Maharajahs of Thanjavur to the present day...
, and another slightly older pupil Vedanayagam
Vedanayagam Sastriar
Vedanayagam Sastriar 1774 -1864 of Thanjavur, Poet-lyricist, Court poet in the palace of Serfoji II. He was a famous poet and writer with 133 books and over 500 lyrics to his credit.-Life:...
using the gurukulam approach, where teacher and taught live together.
In 1779 Schwarz undertook, at the request of the British authorities in Madras (present day Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
), a private embassy to Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
, the ruler of Mysore. When Hyder invaded the Carnatic, Schwarz was allowed to pass through the enemy's camp without molestation. After twelve years in Tiruchirapalli he removed to Thanjavur, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died on 13 February 1798.
Schwarz's direct success in making converts exceeded that of any other Protestant missionary in India, in addition to which he succeeded in winning the esteem of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s. The raja of Tanjore erected a monument, executed by Flaxman, in the mission church, in which he is represented as grasping the hand of the dying missionary and receiving his benediction. A splendid monument to Schwarz by Bacon was placed by the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in St Mary's church at Chennai. Schwarz High School in Ramanathapuram has nurtured many a young scholar, noteworthy among whom is Dr.Abdul Kalam
Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam usually referred to as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is a renowned aerospace engineer, professor , and first Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram , who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007...
, the former President of India.
1911 Britannica references
- Remains of Schwarz, with a sketch of his life
- Memoirs of Life and Correspondence, by H. N. Pearson (1834, 3rd edition 1839)
- Life of Christian Friedrich Schwarz, by H. N. Pearson (1855).