Ulrich von Hutten

Ulrich von Hutten, “ex buchonia” (born the April 21st 1488 with the castle of Steckelberg with Schlüchtern in Hesse; † the August 29th 1523 close to Zurich), knight of empire, was a humanistic and one of the large propagandists of the Reform in the Saint Worsens. He is also, like Martin Luther and Conrad Celtis, a figure of the first German nationalism.

Biography

Youth

Although as elder a heritage had to return to him, it was sent by an authoritative father to the monastery of Fulda in 1499, where the come age it was to become Moine. With the assistance of a friend, Johann Jäger of Dornheim, it escaped from the monastery in 1505. One finds it at the summer 1506 student with this same Jäger at the university of Erfurt, where it also binds friendship with the talented poet Eoban Hesse. The next winter, it is registered with the university Viadrina of Frankfurt-on-the Oder, then attends the Université of Leipzig.

First writings

In spring 1509, with Greifswald, whereas it is found without money, the Bourgmestre Lötz and its son, a Chanoine, deal with it. But for a mysterious reason, the friendship turns to hatred in less than one quarter, so much so that they return Hutten to the one rigorous winter old right in the middle, stripping it to its shirt. With Rostock, Hutten writes then its first significant work, a collection of Complaintes in two volumes against Lötz.

In 1511, it composes with Wittenberg a poetic Art ( Ars versificatoria ), which is promptly adopted in the universities. Hutten travels then to Vienna then in Italy. In 1512 it stops with Venice and Pavia, then with Bologna. There it is registered with courses of Droit, so, by this choice of profession, réconciler with his father; but the war and misery put a term at this new attempt. He suffers besides from an infection of the foot.

Return in Germany

It sets out again for Germany in 1514. On recommendation of Eitelwolf von Stein, it foresees the possibility of entering to the service of new the archbishop of Magdeburg and Mainz, Albert de Brandebourg, but the death of its benefactor again reduces his hopes to nothing. Under these conditions of extreme destitution, he however manages to write the second part of his very famous Parodie in favor of the study of the old languages and in particular of Johannes Reuchlin, the “ Lettres of the obscure men ” ( Epistolæ obscurórum virórum ). In this work, writes intentionally in bad Latin of church, it turns in derision the preserving Dominicains of Cologne and the attitude of the Scolastique S in general.

Stay in Italy

May 7th, 1515, Hans von Hutten, a son of Ludwig von Hutten which is also the godfather of Ulrich von Hutten, is assassinated in forest of Böblingen by its Suzerain, the duke Ulrich of Wurtemberg. The drafting by Ulrich von Hutten of five Diatribe S against the duke, then the publication of its dialog Phalarismus finally reconcile it with its family. This time, thanks to the protection of its close relations and of the archbishop of Mainz, it can finish its studies in Italy, and aspire to a station of advising princely in the chancelleries of the Saint Empire. In December 1515 it remains with Rome.

After having defended successfully the cause of the emperor in 1516 against five French emissary, it is withdrawn during the summer with Bologna and continues there its studies of right and Greek literature.

The League of Souabe

It completes its studies at the university in 1517 but refuses to pass the examinations. Of return in Germany, he sees himself decreeing the crown of the poets by the emperor Maximilien Ier, obviously charmed by its make out. In 1519, Ulrich joined the Ligue of Souabe which was formed against Ulrich of Wurtemberg.

He composes his satirical dialog Phalarismus during the winter 1516-17: this dialog of dead the inspired of Lucien puts at the catch the despot Phalaris with a German Tyran who is never named, but under the features of which it is hardly difficult to recognize Ulrich of Wurtemberg. The Phalarismus Dialogus Hutenius appeared in 1517 in Latin.

This lampoon made its work: with the public approval, the emperor struck the duke Ulrich of Mise at the round of applause. At the conclusion of the lawsuit known as “of the blue room”, Hutten obtained a compensation for 27 000 guilders for the murder of his/her relative. He touched part of this sum only in 1520, with which he acquired the castle of Frankenberg in the west of the forest of Steigerwald. This castle was arranged by the knight Ludwig von Hutten the young person (1493-1548), founder of the line of Frankenberg.

Ulrich von Hutten and the Reform

Ulrich von Hutten was an admiror of Martin Luther, in which it saw a hero of Germany. Luther on its side regarded it as one of the most effective propagandists of the Reform, which is confirmed besides by the mention of von Hütten at the sides of Luther in the bubble of Excommunication of the pope Leon X of January 1521. Von Hutten arrived besides, in its virulent writings, to rejoin influence it knight Franz von Sickingen with the party of Luther. It had published since 1520 a writing entitled “ Vadiscus or the three faces of Rome ”. This Vadiscus in the form of dialog is composed in triads, in which it turns papacy in derision. This work inspired thereafter with Matthias Grünewald a engraved board entitled “ Trias Romana ”, in which it represents the capital Péchés allegorically of Luxure, of Avarice and the Orgueil forming a pact with above the following legend:

Dry ding hand mich gefochten year,

das ich DER wält gäb zu verstan,

Was jetz zu Rom wär die losantz

Sprich ich dry ding regierens gantz:

Hoffart, unküschheit vmder gydt

Hutten finally had to flee in Suisse, where it entered to the service of Ulrich Zwingli. He died of Syphilis on August 29th, 1523 on the island of Ufenau on the lake of Zurich.

Anecdotes

The currency of the University of Stanford adopted in 1891: “ Die Luft der Freiheit weht ” ( To make blow a wind of freedom ) referred to an expression of von Hutten.

Works

Of guaiaci medicina and morbo gallico liber unus (1521), Bologna, impr. Hieronymus de Benedictis. This treaty on the Syphilis (“French evil”) and its treatment using the wood of Gaïac made the pride of its author, which died nevertheless of this disease.
Epistolæ obscurórum virórum (1515-17), Cologne. Published without name of author, this collection of 70 parodic letters knew several republications quickly (e.g. in London in 1519).
Beklagung der Freistädte deutscher Nation ( Lament of the free cities of the German nation ), 1522.
Poemata cum corollariis , ED. Eduardus Böcking, Leipzig, Teubner, 1862.
Die Schule der Tyrannen . Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 1997, ISBN 3-534-13315-3

References

Tests

J. - C. Saladin - the battle of the Greek to the Rebirth (2004) - ED. The Humanities, Paris. ISBN 2-251-38047-7
Volker Preß: Ulrich von Hutten. Ein deutscher Held oder gescheiterter Außenseiter? . Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt/M. 1988
Günter Scholz (Hrsg.): Ulrich von Hutten (1448-1523). Glanzvoller Humanist, gescheiterter Reichsreformer . Stadtarchiv, Böblingen 1989 (Ausstellungskatalog)

the Humanities

Kurt Eggers: Hutten. Novel eines Deutschen . Volkschaft-Verlag, Dortmund 1943
Kurt Eggers: DER junge Hutten . Weisse, Berlin 1938
Rudolf Gottschall: Ulrich von Hutten. Ein Drama . Theile Verlag, Königsberg 1843
Conrad Ferdinand Meyer: Huttens letzte Tage . Reclam, Stuttgart 1988, ISBN 3-15-006942-4

Gerd Salmen: Ulrich von Hutten. Ein dramatisches Gedicht . Thalia-Theater-Verlag, Brandenburg/Havel 1997

Franz Rueb: DER hinkende Schmiedgott Vilkan, Ulrich von Hutten 1488-1523. Amman Verlag 1988, ISBN 3-250-10104-4

External bonds

Ulrich von Hutten (1488-1523) knight, humanistic and rebel of Rhön
Currency of the University of Stanford
Short biography of Berliner personalities
(in:) The Councils to reach Latin works on Internet
Text digitalized of L ''' Ars versificatoria '' of Hutten, Paris 1528
Text digitalized of the lampoon of Hutten entitled '' Kurtzer auszug wie böslich die Bepste gegen den Deudschen Keysern jemals gehandelt… '', Wittenberg, towards 1535

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