Ludwig Rhesa
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Rhesa, also known as Martin Ludwig Rhesa, Ludwig Jedemin Rhesa, Liudvikas Rėza (January 9, 1776 – August 30, 1840), was a consistorial councilor and a professor at the University of Königsberg
in East Prussia
.
He was born as Ludwig Rheese in the village of Karwaiten (Karvaičiai) on the Curonian Spit
in the Kingdom of Prussia
, to a Curonian
family. While attending the Albertina
in Königsberg
he changed the spelling of his name to Rhesa.
He is remembered as the first publisher of the circa-1770 Lithuanian poem Metai (The Seasons
) by Christian Donaleitis, now also known as Kristijonas Donelaitis
. Rhesa collected and worked with the actual unpublished manuscript, which the widow of Donaleitis, Anna Regina, maiden name Ohlefant, had given to Pastor Johann Gottfried Jordan of Walterkehmen. He in turn gave it to Ludwig Rhesa. He also had a copy by Pastor J. F. Hohlfeldt of Gerwischkehmen available. Wilhelm von Humboldt urged him to do the translation and the book was finally published in 1818 under the title Das Jahr in Vier Gesaengen, literally "The Year in Four Songs"), along with German translation of Donaleitis' poems. It has since gone on to be translated into 16 more European languages.
Rhesa also researched the traditions of Baltic language
folk song (daina
). He published the first collection of 85 such songs in 1825 under title Dainos oder Litthauische Volkslieder. Thus he is considered to be the founder of Lithuanian folklore research.
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
.
He was born as Ludwig Rheese in the village of Karwaiten (Karvaičiai) on the Curonian Spit
Curonian Spit
The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. Its southern portion lies within Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia and its northern within southwestern Lithuania...
in the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, to a Curonian
Kursenieki
The Kuršininkai are a nearly extinct Baltic ethnic group living along the Curonian Spit. "Kuršininkai" refers only to inhabitants of Lithuania and former East Prussia that speak a Lithuanian language dialect....
family. While attending the Albertina
Albertina
The Albertina is a museum in Vienna, Austria, containing the world's best collection of old master prints and drawings.Albertina, a feminine adjectival form of Albert , may also refer to:...
in Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
he changed the spelling of his name to Rhesa.
He is remembered as the first publisher of the circa-1770 Lithuanian poem Metai (The Seasons
The Seasons (poem)
The Seasons ' is the first Lithuanian poem written by Kristijonas Donelaitis around 1765–1775. It was published as "Das Jahr" in Königsberg, 1818 by Ludwig Rhesa, who also entitled the poem and selected the arrangement of the parts. The German translation was included in the first edition of the...
) by Christian Donaleitis, now also known as Kristijonas Donelaitis
Kristijonas Donelaitis
Kristijonas Donelaitis was a Prussian Lithuanian Lutheran pastor and poet. He lived and worked in Lithuania Minor, a territory in the Kingdom of Prussia, that had a sizable minority of ethnic Lithuanians...
. Rhesa collected and worked with the actual unpublished manuscript, which the widow of Donaleitis, Anna Regina, maiden name Ohlefant, had given to Pastor Johann Gottfried Jordan of Walterkehmen. He in turn gave it to Ludwig Rhesa. He also had a copy by Pastor J. F. Hohlfeldt of Gerwischkehmen available. Wilhelm von Humboldt urged him to do the translation and the book was finally published in 1818 under the title Das Jahr in Vier Gesaengen, literally "The Year in Four Songs"), along with German translation of Donaleitis' poems. It has since gone on to be translated into 16 more European languages.
Rhesa also researched the traditions of Baltic language
Baltic languages
The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe...
folk song (daina
Daina (Lithuania)
Daina is the traditional name of vocal folk music in the Baltic languages, and is preserved in Lithuania and Latvia. Lithuanian dainas are often noted not only for their mythological content, but also for relating historical events....
). He published the first collection of 85 such songs in 1825 under title Dainos oder Litthauische Volkslieder. Thus he is considered to be the founder of Lithuanian folklore research.