Kuno Meyer
Encyclopedia
Kuno Meyer was a German scholar, distinguished in the field of Celtic
philology and literature. His pro-German stance at the start of World War I
while traveling in the United States
was a source of controversy.
, Meyer studied there at the Gelehrtenschule of the Johanneum, and then at the University of Leipzig
, where he was taught by Ernst Windisch
from 1879. He received his doctorate for his thesis Eine irische Version der Alexandersage (an Irish version of the Alexander Romance
) in 1884. He then took up the post of lecturer in Teutonic languages
at the new University College, Liverpool
, the precursor of the University of Liverpool
, established three years earlier.
He continued to publish on Old Irish
and more general Celtic language topics, as well as producing textbooks for the German language. In 1896 he founded, and jointly edited with Ludwig Christian Stern, the prestigious Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie
.
In 1903 Meyer founded the School of Irish Learning
in Dublin, and the next year created its journal Ériu
, of which he was the editor. Also in 1904 he became Todd Professor in the Celtic Languages at the Royal Irish Academy
. In October 1911 he followed Heinrich Zimmer
as Professor of Celtic Philology at Friedrich Wilhelm University
in Berlin; the following year a volume of Miscellany was presented to him by pupils and friends in honour of his election, and he was made a freeman of both Dublin and Cork
. He also catalogued the various entries by different scribes in the Book of O'Donnell's Daughter, a 17th century manuscript written in Leuven
and preserved in the Bibliothèque Royale in Brussels.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Meyer left Europe for the United States of America, where he lectured at Columbia
, Urbana University
, and elsewhere. A pro-German speech he gave in December 1914 to Clan na Gael
on Long Island
caused outrage in Britain and Ireland, and as a result he was removed from the roll of freemen in Dublin and Cork and from his Honorary Professorship of Celtic at Liverpool, and he resigned as Director of the School of Irish Learning and editor of Ériu.
Meyer remained in the United States and went on a lecture tour around the country. In 1915, as a prospective exchange professor to Harvard University
, he sent the university a letter of protest because of the publication in one of the college magazines of a satirical poem, “Gott mit Uns,” by an undergraduate. In a reply, President Lowell
said, in explaining Harvard's policy, that freedom of speech was an important characteristic of American universities as distinguished from those in Germany. Meyer declined Harvard's invitation to lecture there.
He was injured in a railway collision in 1915 and met 27 year old Florence Lewis while recovering in a California
hospital. They married shortly afterwards. Florence went to Germany in 1916, Meyer in 1917. In 1919 Florence and her daughter went to Switzerland; Meyer died on 11 October 1919, in Leipzig
.
Festschrift
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
philology and literature. His pro-German stance at the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
while traveling in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was a source of controversy.
Biography
Born in HamburgHamburg
-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...
, Meyer studied there at the Gelehrtenschule of the Johanneum, and then at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, where he was taught by Ernst Windisch
Ernst Windisch
Ernst Wilhelm Oskar Windisch was a German scholar and celticist.He is known as an Indo-Europeanist. He was also a friend of the young Friedrich Nietzsche.-Works:...
from 1879. He received his doctorate for his thesis Eine irische Version der Alexandersage (an Irish version of the Alexander Romance
Alexander Romance
Alexander romance is any of several collections of legends concerning the mythical exploits of Alexander the Great. The earliest version is in Greek, dating to the 3rd century. Several late manuscripts attribute the work to Alexander's court historian Callisthenes, but the historical figure died...
) in 1884. He then took up the post of lecturer in Teutonic languages
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
at the new University College, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the precursor of the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, established three years earlier.
He continued to publish on Old Irish
Old Irish language
Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Goidelic languages for which extensive written texts are extant. It was used from the 6th to the 10th centuries, by which time it had developed into Middle Irish....
and more general Celtic language topics, as well as producing textbooks for the German language. In 1896 he founded, and jointly edited with Ludwig Christian Stern, the prestigious Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie
Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie
Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie ' is an academic journal of Celtic studies, which was founded in 1896 by the German scholars Kuno Meyer and Ludwig Christian Stern and first appeared in 1897. It is the first journal devoted exclusively to Celtic languages and literature and the oldest...
.
In 1903 Meyer founded the School of Irish Learning
School of Irish Learning
The School of Irish Learning was a center for Irish studies in Dublin founded in 1903 by Kuno Meyer, who talked of "the necessity of bringing the [Irish revivalist] movement into direct and intimate relations with scholarship, to provide an avenue for every student of Irish to the higher regions of...
in Dublin, and the next year created its journal Ériu
Ériu (journal)
Ériu is an academic journal of Irish language studies. It was launched in 1904 as the journal of the School of Irish Learning in Dublin. When the School was incorporated into the Royal Irish Academy in 1926, the Academy continued publication of the journal, in the same format and with the same title...
, of which he was the editor. Also in 1904 he became Todd Professor in the Celtic Languages at the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
. In October 1911 he followed Heinrich Zimmer
Heinrich Zimmer (Celticist)
Heinrich Friedrich Zimmer was a German Celticist and Indologist.Born to a farming family in Kastellaun in the Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany, he studied ancient languages at Kaiser Wilhelm University in Strassburg, going on to study Indology and Sanskrit under Rudolf von Roth at the...
as Professor of Celtic Philology at Friedrich Wilhelm University
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
in Berlin; the following year a volume of Miscellany was presented to him by pupils and friends in honour of his election, and he was made a freeman of both Dublin and Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. He also catalogued the various entries by different scribes in the Book of O'Donnell's Daughter, a 17th century manuscript written in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
and preserved in the Bibliothèque Royale in Brussels.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Meyer left Europe for the United States of America, where he lectured at Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, Urbana University
Urbana University
Urbana University is a private university specializing in liberal arts education. Urbana is located in Urbana, Ohio, approximately one hour west of Columbus and one hour northeast of Dayton.-History:...
, and elsewhere. A pro-German speech he gave in December 1914 to Clan na Gael
Clan na Gael
The Clan na Gael was an Irish republican organization in the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries, successor to the Fenian Brotherhood and a sister organization to the Irish Republican Brotherhood...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
caused outrage in Britain and Ireland, and as a result he was removed from the roll of freemen in Dublin and Cork and from his Honorary Professorship of Celtic at Liverpool, and he resigned as Director of the School of Irish Learning and editor of Ériu.
Meyer remained in the United States and went on a lecture tour around the country. In 1915, as a prospective exchange professor to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, he sent the university a letter of protest because of the publication in one of the college magazines of a satirical poem, “Gott mit Uns,” by an undergraduate. In a reply, President Lowell
Abbott Lawrence Lowell
Abbott Lawrence Lowell was a U.S. educator and legal scholar. He served as President of Harvard University from 1909 to 1933....
said, in explaining Harvard's policy, that freedom of speech was an important characteristic of American universities as distinguished from those in Germany. Meyer declined Harvard's invitation to lecture there.
He was injured in a railway collision in 1915 and met 27 year old Florence Lewis while recovering in a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
hospital. They married shortly afterwards. Florence went to Germany in 1916, Meyer in 1917. In 1919 Florence and her daughter went to Switzerland; Meyer died on 11 October 1919, 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...
.
Works
Amongst his publications are:- 1885: The Irish Odyssey
- 1892: The Vision of MacConglinne, with A. NuttAlfred NuttAlfred Trübner Nutt was a British publisher, now best known for his writing as folklorist and Celticist.-Biography:...
- 1894: The Voyage of Bran
- 1901: King and Hermit
- 1896: Early Relations of the Brython and Gael
- 1911: Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry
- 1912: Sanas Cormaic, an Old Irish Glossary
- 1913: Learning in Ireland in the Fifth Century
- 1914: Über die älteste irische Dichtung
Festschrift
- Miscellany presented to Kuno Meyer by some of his friends and pupils on the occasion of his appointment to the chair of Celtic philology in the University of Berlin; ed. by Osborn Bergin and Carl Marstrander. Halle: M. Niemeyer, 1912.
External links
- Bibliography by Štěpán Kosík.
- Biography and works from CELT Project
- CELT (Corpus of Electronic Texts)
- The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on the Harvard controversy:- Remarks by Professors John A. Walz, Kuno Francke, and poem author C. Huntington Jacobs '16.