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1760 May 10. Johann Peter Hebel is born as the
first child of the linen weaver Johann Jakob Hebel (born 1720) from Simmern in
Hunsrück and his wife Ursula née Oertlin (born 1727) from Hausen in Wiesental in
Baden. His parents are in the service of the family of Basel councillor Johann
Jakob Iselin-Ryhiner.
1761 Summer. The family falls ill with an epidemic - probably typhus. Death of
his father and his one-month-old sister Susanne. - Hebel lives - as before -
with his mother in Basel in summer at Iselin's house, in winter in Hausen.
1766 Hebel attends the elementary school in Hausen, in the summer months (until
1768) the St. Peter parish school in Basel, and from 1769, at the instigation of
the Hausen pastor Karl Friedrich Obermüller, the Latin school in Schopfheim.
1772 Attends the grammar school at Münsterplatz in Basel.
1773 Hebel lives in Obermüller's house in Schopfheim in order to complete Latin
school. - Mother falls ill in Basel. She dies on October 16 on her way home to
Hausen in view of the Röttler castle und in the presence of her son.
1774 Hebel's confirmation and admission to the “Gymnasium illustre” in Karlsruhe
at the instigation of the former Hausen pastor Gottlieb August Preuschen, court
preacher in Karlsruhe since 1769, who, according to Hebel's testimony, cares for
him “like a father”.
1775 Early entry into the Prima, the three-year final course for prospective
theologians.
1776 Member of the “Marchio-Badensis Societas Latina”, a society for the
cultivation of Latin. Hebel delivers four Latin speeches and receives the prize
of 25 guilders donated by Hereditary Prince Karl Ludwig. The topics: “The
distrust that can easily arise from an unhappy fate”; “Creative joy and
cheerfulness as a sign of a young man's good disposition”; “Sources and
principles of truth”; “Comparison of Caesar with Augustus”.
1778 March. Final examination with public disputation and a sermon. - Begins
studying theology at the University of Erlangen. Hebel records the stages of his
journey there in his father's pocket book, which he had kept since 1753. Hebel
also keeps a register as a student.
1780 Spring. Returns to Karlsruhe after four semesters. Preparation for the
exams. September, public disputation and examinations. November 24. Accepted as
one of the “Candidati ministerii ecclesiastici” - candidates for the parish
ministry. Hebel remains without a position, however.
1780 Tutor in Hertingen, between Basel and Müllheim, 1783 in the house of Pastor
Schlotterbeck. In addition to this activity, in 1782 he was a temporary pastor
in Hertingen and Tannenkirch. - Intensive reading of theological works and fine
literature: Bodmer, Young, Klopstock, Jung-Stilling, Nicolai; almanacs and
journals.
1783 May 19. Appointment as preceptor vicar at the Pädagogium in Lörrach, a
progymnasium school. Hebel teaches Latin, Greek, history, geometry, German,
geography and religion in the Secunda. - Friendship with the principal Tobias
Günttert.
1787 Acquaintance with Friedrich Wilhelm Hitzig (1767-1849), parish vicar in
Rötteln, later dean in Lörrach; Hebel's best friend. In search of a direct
experience of nature, the Black Forest elevation of the Belchen is chosen by the
friends as the altar of Proteus. “Belchism”, “Proteusertum”.
1788 Beginning of his friendship with Gustave Fecht (1768-1828), Günttert's
sister-in-law, in whose house Hebel was a frequent guest even after Günttert's
transfer as pastor to Weil (1796). - Hebel's hopes of succeeding Günttert as
prorector in Lörrach are not fulfilled.
1791 November 2. Appointment as sub-deacon at the “Gymnasium illustre” in
Karlsruhe. Hebel teaches Hebrew, Greek, Latin and geography at his former school,
as well as mathematics and natural history at the grammar school's secondary
school.
1792 Promotion to court deacon. - Friendship with his colleague Nikolaus Sander
and the court botanist and physician Karl Christian Gmelin.
1794 Journey along the Rhine with Sander.
1796 First journey to his native Oberland. Discussion with Gustave Fecht. -
Hebel witnesses the retreat of the French across the Rhine.
1798 Appointment as associate professor with suspension of preaching duties.
1799 Spring. Second journey to the Oberland. - Honorary member of the
Mineralogical Society in Jena.
1800 First Alemannic poems.
1802 Corresponding member of the Society of Physicians and Naturalists of Swabia.
1803 February. The first edition of “Alemannische Gedichte für Freunde
ländlicher Natur und Sitten” is published anonymously by Macklot in Karlsruhe,
printed at Hebel's own expense. Reviews by Jean Paul in the “Zeitung für die
elegante Welt” and by Johann Georg Jacobi in the “Freiburger Intelligenz- und
Wochenblatt”.
1804 2nd edition of the “Alemannische Gedichte”. Review of Goethe. - Encounter
with Johann Heinrich Voß.
1805 First visit to the family of the goldsmith and former Lörrach pupil
Gottfried Haufe in Strasbourg. Since then correspondence with his wife, Sophie
Haufe. - Travels to Switzerland as court master and mentor to the Barons of
Menzingen. - Appointment as church councillor. - The Austrian Breisgau falls to
Baden. The newly established Lutheran parish in Freiburg is to be filled. Hebel
hesitates.
1806 Following the wishes of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich, Hebel decides to stay in
Karlsruhe. - The doctor and writer Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling is appointed
court councillor in Karlsruhe. Hebel occasionally meets him at the ducal table.
- 3rd edition of the “Alemannic Poems”, illustrated with copperplate engravings
by Benjamin Zix from Strasbourg. - “Unsolicited expert opinion on an
advantageous arrangement of the calendar”. - “My further thoughts on an
advantageous arrangement of the calendar.”
1807 January 14. Hebel takes over the editorship of the Baden country calendar,
from now on: “Der Rheinländische Hausfreund oder Neuer Calender - mit
lehrreichen Nachrichten und lustigen Erzählungen”. (Karlsruhe 1808-1812, Lahr
and Pforzheim 1813-1815, 1819).
1808 4th edition of the “Alemannische Gedichte”. - Appointment of Hebel as
principal of the grammar school. - The actress Henriette Hendel, admired by
Hebel, makes a guest appearance in Karlsruhe.
1809 New guest performance by Hendel with recitations of classical roles and
from the “Alemannic Poems”. - Hebel becomes a member of the Protestant church
and examination commission.
1811 The “Schatzkästlein des rheinischen Hausfreundes” is published by Cotta in
Tübingen.
1812 Last journey to the Oberland. Last meeting with Gustave Fecht.
1814 Jacob Grimm visits Hebel. - Joins the Protestant ministerial section, the
highest church and school authority in the country. Resigns from the
directorship of the grammar school. The calendar
for 1815 is withdrawn, Hebel's story “Der fromme Rat” had aroused disapproval in
Catholic circles and had to be removed before republishing - therefore he
resigns from editing the calendar
1815 Encounter with Goethe at Gmelin.
1816 2nd edition of the “Schatzkästlein”.
1817 Hebel takes over the directorship of the old Baden Protestant parish widows'
treasury. - Last meeting with Henriette Hendel.
1818 Hebel edits the "Rheinländische Hausfreund" for 1819 and begins work on the
"Biblische Geschichten", a retelling of the Bible for young people.
1821 Participates in the General Synod and plays a key role in the merger of the
Lutheran and Reformed churches in Baden. - Awarded an honorary doctorate from
the Faculty of Theology at the University of Heidelberg. - Hebel sets about
writing a “Christian Catechism” (which he completes, but is only published
posthumously in 1828).
1823 Spring. Hebel sends the manuscript of the “Biblical Stories” to Cotta.
1824 The “Bible Stories for Young People”, edited by Dr. J. P. Hebel, are
published. - Hebel gives up teaching at the grammar school for good.
1826 Hebel takes Oswald Haufe, the youngest child of his Strasbourg friends,
into his household. Business trip - despite illness - to Mannheim for
examinations. The students honor Hebel with a trip on the Rhine. Then he travels to
Schwetzingen to visit his friend, the garden director Johann Michael Zeyher.
1826 September 22. Hebel dies at Zeyher's house and is buried in Schwetzingen.
Original text (in German): Marlies Korfsmeyer in "Johann Peter Hebel: Poetische Werke",
Winkler Verlag Munich, 1961
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