Ritter
Full Name: Carl Ritter
Achievements: Modern geography
Born: August 7, 1779; Quedlinburg, Germany
Died: September 28, 1859; Berlin, Germany (Aged 80)
Field & Discipline: Geography
Language: German
Education: Schneptfenthal school; University of Halle
Major Work: "Earth Science in Relation to Nature and the History of Man" (1817-1859)
Life & Times:
Ritter's father, a physician, died young and at the age of six Ritter was sent with his elder brother to board at a new school in Schneptfenthal near Gotha, established according to the principles of [student of] Rousseau*.When Ritter was sixteen he met a Frankfurt banker, Bethmann Hollweg, who was so impressed by Ritter that he asked him to become tutor to his children. Hollweg also arranged to fund Ritter's further education. In 1796 Ritter began a two year course at Halle University during which he prepared himself for work as a tutor. He travelled to Frankfurt to join the Hollweg household in October 1798. He got to know other tutors to Frankfurt's ruling families and over the fifteen years he spent in the Hollweg household, gained a reputation as an educator. His first geographical writings, on Europe, were published in 1804 and 1807.
On a family holiday to Switzerland Ritter met the Swiss educator [met] Pestalozzi* and visited his institute at Yverdun.In Frankfurt he met the explorer and geographer [influenced by] Alexander von Humboldt* who had just returned from his epic journey in America and was on his way to Paris. Ritter had many meetings with Humboldt, whose ideas influenced his own development.He began to prepare a manual on physical geography at Pestalozzi's suggestion and spent all his spare moments from tutoring in geographical work, although his manual was never published. He traveled with his pupils in Switzerland and Italy during 1812-13 and in 1814, and took the opportunity to make notes and drawings.
When Augustus Hollweg began studying at Gottingen University, Ritter accompanied him and for the five years he remained at Gottingen he was able to devote his time to his own studies. He concentrated on his geographical work, influenced by the writings of the natural scientist [influenced by] Blumenbach* and the ideas of the philosopher [influenced by] Herder* about the relationship between man and nature.
Ritter believed that the teaching of geography should be comparative and should show the connection between history and nature, and between the inorganic and the organic. The first volume of his major work, "Earth Science in Relation to Nature and the History of Man", was published in 1817 and was concerned mainly with Africa.
The value of Ritter's work was recognised immediately and he was inundated with offers of employment from his old school, Pestalozzi, the court of Weimar, and many universities.Eventually, in 1819 he accepted the chair of history at Frankfurt.
He married and settled in Frankfurt but after only a year there went to Berlin as professor extraordinarius of history.For the rest of his career he taught and wrote on geography. His lectures were poorly attended at first, but within three years there was barely room in the lecture hall to contain his audience. His most popular regular lecture was on "General Comparative Geography", and his series of lectures on the classical sites of history (such as Greece, Rome and Palestine) were attended by the leading figures of the Berlin intelligentsia.He also lectured at the Berlin School of War to officers in the Prussian Army. It was Ritter who did much to establish the importance of geography as an independent science although he was later criticised for his historical approach.
His belief that geographical methodology should rest on observation rather than opinion laid the foundation for future modernization of the subject. His writings and lectures were a significant influence on future German geographers such as [influenced] Ratzel* and[influenced] Freidrich von Richthofen*. He traveled extensively in Europe and Scandinavia though only once to Asia, when he visited Ismir.
From 1831, at the instigation of the Crown Prince Frederick-William of Prussia, Ritter began to write the further volumes of his life work "Earth Science". They were mainly concerned with Asia and eighteen volumes were published from 1832. The work had been intended to be a survey of the world but remained incomplete at the end of his life. Ritter founded the Royal Geographical Society of Berlin for the promotion of geographical research and it became one of the most influential geographical bodies in the world. In his late seventies he still lectured to packed audiences.
Extra Connections: The composer [taught] Felix Mendelssohn* attended his lectures.
Assessment: His work influenced geographical research in Germany for the next two decades.
Oneliner: Carl Ritter, founder of modern geography
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
Siblings: Brothers and sisters, names unknown
Spouse: Lili
Children: Unknown
Bibliography:
- Gage, W.L., The Life of Carl Ritter, William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh.and London, 1867.
- Encyclopedia Britannica.
Sandbox: TheBrain 7/26