Ernst Oppert
Encyclopedia
Ernst Jakob Oppert was a German
businessman best known for his unsuccessful attempt in 1867 to remove the remains of the father of regent Yi Ha-eung from their grave in order to use them to blackmail the regent into removing the Korean trade barriers.
Oppert was born into a wealthy banker family in Hamburg
. Two of his brothers, Julius
and Gustav
, became leading German orientalist
s, while Ernst opened a trading business in 1851 in Hong Kong
. When that company went bankrupt in 1867, he became interested in trading with Korea, which at that time followed a strict isolationist policy and was a closed market
for westerners. Oppert visited the country clandestinely several times. He found Korean to be a much harder language to learn than Chinese, recalling in 1880 in his book A Forbidden Land: Voyages to the Corea:
On one visit, he met a French priest named Féron, and together they devised the plan to excavate and remove from the country the bones of the father of regent Yi Haeung, who ruled the country for his son, king Gojong
, to use them to blackmail him into opening the country for trade. Supplied by an American, E. F. B. Jenkins, with money and arms, they set out on April 30, 1867. When they reached the tomb, they tried to rob it, but were stopped by the massive stone slab that covered the former king's remains and had to leave without having achieved their objective. That stone was thought to be steel, but it was in fact quicklime. On their way back, they were engaged by Korean soldiers in a battle and their party had to flee the country. The incident enraged the Koreans, who were now even less inclined to trade with the foreigners.
According to A. H. S. Landor
, the tale of Oppert's unsuccessful tomb raiding was still well-known in Korea around the end of the 19th century and was being told to foreigners on arriving, with one member of the raid party allegedly still living in Chemulpo.
Oppert returned to Germany, where he henceforth lived an unremarkable businessman's life. Some sources claim that he spent a few months in jail for this grave robbing episode. In 1880 he published a book about Korea titled Ein verschlossenes Land. Reisen nach Corea. It was originally published by Brockhaus
in Leipzig
and was also translated into English.
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...
businessman best known for his unsuccessful attempt in 1867 to remove the remains of the father of regent Yi Ha-eung from their grave in order to use them to blackmail the regent into removing the Korean trade barriers.
Oppert was born into a wealthy banker family in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Two of his brothers, Julius
Julius Oppert
Julius Oppert , French-German Assyriologist, was born at Hamburg, of Jewish parents.After studying at Heidelberg, Bonn and Berlin, he graduated at Kiel in 1847; and the next year went to France, where he was teacher of German at Laval and at Reims...
and Gustav
Gustav Solomon Oppert
Gustav Solomon Oppert Dr.GUSTAV OPPERT , brother of Julius Oppert , German sanskritist , born 1836 in Hamburg , died in 1908 in Berlin , He was a Professor of Sanskrit and Comparative Philology, Presidency College, Madras & a Telugu Translator to Government & a Curator in "Government Oriental...
, became leading German orientalist
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
s, while Ernst opened a trading business in 1851 in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. When that company went bankrupt in 1867, he became interested in trading with Korea, which at that time followed a strict isolationist policy and was a closed market
Hermit kingdom
Hermit kingdom is a pejorative term applied to any country or society which willfully walls itself off from the rest of the world. The Joseon Dynasty of Korea was frequently described as a hermit kingdom during the latter part of the dynasty...
for westerners. Oppert visited the country clandestinely several times. He found Korean to be a much harder language to learn than Chinese, recalling in 1880 in his book A Forbidden Land: Voyages to the Corea:
- "The difficulties in acquiring and properly speaking the Corean language are by no means inferior to those which beset the study of the Chinese; they are even considered by many to be infinitely greater, and they cannot be likened to the comparatively easy manner with which even foreigners are able to acquire a knowledge of Japanese in a proportionately short time.
On one visit, he met a French priest named Féron, and together they devised the plan to excavate and remove from the country the bones of the father of regent Yi Haeung, who ruled the country for his son, king Gojong
Gojong of Korea
Gojong , the Emperor Gwangmu was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.-King of the Joseon:Gojong took the throne in 1863 when still a child...
, to use them to blackmail him into opening the country for trade. Supplied by an American, E. F. B. Jenkins, with money and arms, they set out on April 30, 1867. When they reached the tomb, they tried to rob it, but were stopped by the massive stone slab that covered the former king's remains and had to leave without having achieved their objective. That stone was thought to be steel, but it was in fact quicklime. On their way back, they were engaged by Korean soldiers in a battle and their party had to flee the country. The incident enraged the Koreans, who were now even less inclined to trade with the foreigners.
According to A. H. S. Landor
Arnold Henry Savage Landor
Arnold Henry Savage Landor was an English painter, explorer, writer and anthropologist, born in Florence. His grandfather was the poet and writer Walter Savage Landor, who himself lived for long periods in Florence....
, the tale of Oppert's unsuccessful tomb raiding was still well-known in Korea around the end of the 19th century and was being told to foreigners on arriving, with one member of the raid party allegedly still living in Chemulpo.
Oppert returned to Germany, where he henceforth lived an unremarkable businessman's life. Some sources claim that he spent a few months in jail for this grave robbing episode. In 1880 he published a book about Korea titled Ein verschlossenes Land. Reisen nach Corea. It was originally published by Brockhaus
Brockhaus
Brockhaus may refer to:* Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus , German encyclopedia publisher and editor** Brockhaus Enzyklopädie, German-language encyclopedia**Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Russian-language encyclopedia...
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...
and was also translated into English.
Works
- Ein verschlossenes Land. - Brockhaus, Leipzig 1880 (Digital)
External links
- Kneider, H.-A.: Ernst Jacob Oppert: Ein deutscher Kaufmann auf Raubzug im alten Korea, 2003. URL last accessed April 26, 2006.
- Jewish Encyclopedia: Oppert, Ernst Jacob. URL last accessed April 26, 2006.
- Neff, Robert: "German merchant's Bodysnatching Expedition in 1868," The Korea Times July 22, 2010, p. 15.