| AdminHistory | Friedrich Franz Daniel Wadzeck was a German educator, philologist and theologian.
Wadzeck was born on 10th August 1762 in Berlin to Sexton Johann Wadzeck. At only 10 years of age, his father died and in 1774 he was moved into Halle Orphanage. He spent five years of schooling there and thereafter attended the Lutheranum Gymnasium for two years. He then went on to study theology at the University of Halle, passing his final examinations in 1784. He also became recognised for his skills as a pulpit speaker and was recommended for his sermons to the Queen of Prussia.
He was made a professor of German literature and style in 1788 at the royal cadet corps in Berlin and later became their professor of physics and natural history. He would also go onto become the institutions librarian.
Wadzeck was the main writer for 'Gemeinnütziger Anzeiger', a newspaper for the Berlin Intelligence Journal and in 1809 he founded the 'Berlinisches Wochenblatt for the citizen and countryman' (Berlin Weekly Journal for Citizens and Farmers). He was pro-royalty and anti-liberal and the journal sought to promote patriotism and religiousness. Through the journal he contested and challenged liberal movements, especially the gymnastics movement and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. After 31 years, Wadzeck took early retirement, although the reasons for this are not certain, the official output alleged it was due to a dispute between Wadzeck and three student Cadet officers. Wadzeck himself however stated it was "because he had dutifully, albeit with little strength, opposed the great mischief of the gymnastic spirit and its ruin of our young men."
Wadzeck was devoted to his charitable endeavours and in 1819 he opened a home for twelve poor and neglected children. The institution rapidly grew, and by the time of his death in 1823 around 400 children were being cared for within its premises. Following his death, it was given the name of 'Wadzeck Institution' by the King of Prussia and still runs today as a youth welfare organisation and education centre.
Wadzeck died on 2 March 1823. He is buried in St. Mary's and St. Nicholas Cemetery I in Berlin, Germany. On his coffin is written "The father of the poor". |
Friedrich Heinrich Wilhelm Martini (1729-1778) was a German conchologist, translator and physician. He is known for his work ‘Neues systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet’, an illustrated book of shells he had observed, published in 1769. However soon after the publication of his third volume, Martini died and his work was continued by Johann Hieronymus Chemnitz (1730–1800), who wrote a further eight volumes to the series between 1779 and 1795.
Martini founded the Berlin Society of Friends of Natural Science, (Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin) in 1773. The Society consisted of experts in the field of natural history who visited each other’s collections, while also amassing a collection for the Society. The Society also published their own journal and is still in existence today. |