Johann Peter Süssmilch
Encyclopedia
Johann Peter Süßmilch or Süssmilch (September 3, 1707 in Zehlendorf
- March 22, 1767 in Berlin
) was a German
priest
, statistician
and demographer.
He studied medicine
and theology
at Jena and Halle and in 1741 was an army chaplain in the First Silesian War
. On Sunday, 13 August 1741, the former field preacher gave his inaugural sermon as pastor of the community Etzin
. Eckart Elsner: Süßmilchs time Etzin Since 1742 he served as Provost
in the St. Petri parish in Berlin-Cölln. He became a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
in 1745. He discussed with Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
and Immanuel Kant
.
Süßmilch's most important publication on The Divine order in the circumstances of the human sex, birth, death and reproduction which he wrote in 1741 is regarded as a seminal and pioneering work in demography
and the history of population statistics
. Süssmilch discovered that, on the long run, there is a constant sex ratio of 1,000 female births to 1,068 male births, which he saw as a proof of the Divine working in this World. Due to this work he can be regarded as one of the founding fathers of demography in Germany. However, he refers in his work to Kaspar Neumann's work, who calculated a monthly statistics of deaths by age and death cause already between 1687 and 1691 in Breslau (present-day Wrocław). Süssmilch also worked on life tables.
Zehlendorf
Zehlendorf can refer to:*Zehlendorf, a district in Berlin, Germany*Zehlendorf near Oranienburg, a small village north of Berlin, part of Oranienburg....
- March 22, 1767 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) was a German
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...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
and demographer.
He studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and 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...
at Jena and Halle and in 1741 was an army chaplain in the First Silesian War
Silesian Wars
The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria for control of Silesia. They formed parts of the larger War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. They eventually ended with Silesia being incorporated into Prussia, and Austrian recognition of this...
. On Sunday, 13 August 1741, the former field preacher gave his inaugural sermon as pastor of the community Etzin
Ketzin
Ketzin is a town in the Havelland district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Havel, 17 km northwest of Potsdam, and 40 km west of Berlin.-Geography:...
. Eckart Elsner: Süßmilchs time Etzin Since 1742 he served as Provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
in the St. Petri parish in Berlin-Cölln. He became a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
Prussian Academy of Sciences
The Prussian Academy of Sciences was an academy established in Berlin on 11 July 1700, four years after the Akademie der Künste or "Arts Academy", to which "Berlin Academy" may also refer.-Origins:...
in 1745. He discussed with Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist, and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature...
and Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
.
Süßmilch's most important publication on The Divine order in the circumstances of the human sex, birth, death and reproduction which he wrote in 1741 is regarded as a seminal and pioneering work in demography
Demography
Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
and the history of population statistics
Population statistics
Population statistics is the use of statistics to analyze characteristics or changes to a population. It is related to social demography and demography.Population statistics can analyze anything from global demographic changes to local small scale changes...
. Süssmilch discovered that, on the long run, there is a constant sex ratio of 1,000 female births to 1,068 male births, which he saw as a proof of the Divine working in this World. Due to this work he can be regarded as one of the founding fathers of demography in Germany. However, he refers in his work to Kaspar Neumann's work, who calculated a monthly statistics of deaths by age and death cause already between 1687 and 1691 in Breslau (present-day Wrocław). Süssmilch also worked on life tables.
Works
- The Royal Residence of Berlin's Growth and Rapid Construction, 1752 (Digitalisat)
- The Divine order in the changes in the human sex from birth, death and reproduction of the same, 2 parts, 1761-1762 (Digitalisat demography/demography/suessmilch_1761 Part 1, Part 2)