Victor Lange
Encyclopedia
Victor Lange was a renowned Germanist, known primarily for his work at Princeton University
.
, Germany, he obtained his M.A. degree from the University College of the University of Toronto
in 1931, and his Ph.D. from the University of Leipzig
in 1934 with a dissertation entitled "Die lyrische Anthologie im England des 18. Jahrhunderts (1670–1780)." He taught at Toronto in the 1930s and, from 1938 onwards, at Cornell University
. He moved to Princeton University
in 1957, where he was the founding chairman of both the German Department and the Department of Comparative Literature. As the John N. Woodhull Professor of Modern Languages, he remained at Princeton until his retirement in 1977. He was twice the recipient of Guggenheim Fellowships, in 1950 and 1967. From 1962, he held an honorary professorship at the Free University of Berlin
.
In 1959, he was honored with the Commanders' Cross by the German Government. Among the other honors conferred on him were the Goethe Gold Medal in Frankfurt in 1965 and, in 1966, the Friedrich Gundolph Prize of the Deutsche Akademie
. He received the University of California's Chancellor's Citation in 1985 and in 1993 the Weimar Goethe Medal
in Gold.
In 1966, he arranged the meeting of the Gruppe 47 in Princeton and, as President of the International Verein Germanstein he hosted their meeting in Princeton in 1970.
His most important published work is The Classical Age of German Literature, 1740–1815 (New York, Holmes & Meier, 1982). An exhaustive bibliography of his writings was published posthumously in the Jahrbuch für Internationale Germanistik (a Peter Lang serial).
He taught as Guest Professor in many universities: Melbourne University (Australia), Berlin, Heidelberg, Munich, the University of New Zealand
(Auckland), the University of California
(at Davis, Berkeley, and San Diego), and lectured widely. He was the founding president of the Goethe Society of North America
(in which he served from 1980 to 1989).
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Biography
Born in LeipzigLeipzig
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...
, Germany, he obtained his M.A. degree from the University College of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1931, and his Ph.D. from 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...
in 1934 with a dissertation entitled "Die lyrische Anthologie im England des 18. Jahrhunderts (1670–1780)." He taught at Toronto in the 1930s and, from 1938 onwards, at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. He moved to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1957, where he was the founding chairman of both the German Department and the Department of Comparative Literature. As the John N. Woodhull Professor of Modern Languages, he remained at Princeton until his retirement in 1977. He was twice the recipient of Guggenheim Fellowships, in 1950 and 1967. From 1962, he held an honorary professorship at the Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
.
In 1959, he was honored with the Commanders' Cross by the German Government. Among the other honors conferred on him were the Goethe Gold Medal in Frankfurt in 1965 and, in 1966, the Friedrich Gundolph Prize of the Deutsche Akademie
Deutsche Akademie
The Deutsche Akademie was a German cultural institute founded in 1925 at Munich, under the Weimar Republic. The controversial geopolitician Karl Haushofer was among the academics associated with it in its initial phases....
. He received the University of California's Chancellor's Citation in 1985 and in 1993 the Weimar Goethe Medal
Goethe Medal
The Goethe Medal, also known as the Goethe-Medaille, is a yearly prize given by the Goethe Institute honoring non-Germans for meritorious contributions in the spirit of the Institute. It is an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany....
in Gold.
In 1966, he arranged the meeting of the Gruppe 47 in Princeton and, as President of the International Verein Germanstein he hosted their meeting in Princeton in 1970.
His most important published work is The Classical Age of German Literature, 1740–1815 (New York, Holmes & Meier, 1982). An exhaustive bibliography of his writings was published posthumously in the Jahrbuch für Internationale Germanistik (a Peter Lang serial).
He taught as Guest Professor in many universities: Melbourne University (Australia), Berlin, Heidelberg, Munich, the University of New Zealand
University of New Zealand
The University of New Zealand was the New Zealand university from 1870 to 1961. It was the sole New Zealand university, having a federal structure embracing several constituent colleges at various locations around New Zealand...
(Auckland), the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
(at Davis, Berkeley, and San Diego), and lectured widely. He was the founding president of the Goethe Society of North America
Goethe Society of North America
The Goethe Society of North America was founded in December 1979 in San Francisco as a non-profit organization dedicated to the encouragement of research on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and his age....
(in which he served from 1980 to 1989).