The Life and Work of the German Historian and Philologist Gottfried Schramm (1929–2017)

Authors

  • Reinhard Nachtigal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15826/qr.2018.1.279

Abstract

The well-known idea that the development of science is determined, among other things, by enthusiasts whose entire lives are devoted to the search for truth acquires a deeper meaning when considered through the prism of the dramatic lives of said people. They are always few in any country, and they tend to follow their own paths, thus putting their lives on the line (in despotic states) or risking being misunderstood (under more lenient regimes): they do so because they regard cognition and new discoveries as the essence of their lives. Gottfried Schramm, who recently passed away, was one such person. In his academic life, he combined historical and linguistic interests, and his perfect command of languages provided him with a key to the history of peoples. This article analyses his bravery as a researcher and the paradoxes of ideas formed during his career of a scholar. Special attention is paid to the system of ideas about the phenomenon of revolution and the ideology of communism, in which, according to Schramm, the negation of the preceding epochs did not bring about new constructive ideas. Gottfried Schramm was not only a talented researcher but also a remarkable teacher: his authority and manner attracted many gifted students. The article describes a number of his most important works, which illustrates the state of Slavic studies in Germany.

Author Biography

Reinhard Nachtigal

PhD, Research Fellow, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg.


39, Friedrichstr., 79098, Freiburg, Germany.


runacht@hotmail.com

References

Ernst Schulin. In Wikipedia [website]. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Schulin (mode of access: 15.12.1017).

In memoriam Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Klaus Zernack. In Deutsches Historisches Institut Warschau [website]. URL: http://www.dhi.waw.pl/aktuelle-meldungen/detail/news/inmemoriam-prof-dr-dr-hc-mult-klaus-zernack.html (mode of access: 15.12.2017).

Schramm, G. (1973). Nordpontische Ströme. Namenphilologische Zugänge zur Frühzeit des europäischen Ostens. Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 254 S.

Schramm, G. (1981). Eroberer und Eingesessene. Geographische Lehnnamen als Zeugen der Geschichte Südosteuropas im ersten Jahrtausend n. Chr. Stuttgart, Hiersemann. 468 S.

Schramm, G. (1994). Anfänge des albanischen Christentums. Die frühe Bekehrung der Bessen und ihre langen Folgen. Freiburg im Breisgau, Rombach. 270 S.

Schramm, G. (1997). Ein Damm bricht. Die römische Donaugrenze und die Invasion des 5.–7. Jahrhunderts im Lichte von Namen und Wörtern. München, Oldenbourg. 397 S.

Schramm, G. (1997). Reki Severnogo Prichernomor’ya. Istoriko-filologicheskoe issledovanie iz nazvanii v rannikh vekakh [The Rivers of the Northern Black Sea Coast. Historical and Philological Research from Names in Early Centuries] / transl. by A. V. Nazarenko. Moscow, Eastern Communications. 160 p.

Schramm, G. (2002). Altrußlands Anfang. Historische Schlüsse aus Namen, Wörtern und Texten zum 9. und 10. Jahrhundert. Freiburg im Breisgau, Rombach. 700 S.

Schramm, G. (2004). Fünf Wegscheiden der Weltgeschichte. Ein Vergleich. Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 391 S.

Schramm, G. (2006a). Destine timpurii ale românilor. Opt teze referitoare la localizarea continuităţii latine în Europa Sud-Est. Cluj-Napoca, Komp-Press. 122 S.

Schramm, G. (2006b). Ein langer Strang der Weltgeschichte: fünf Wegscheiden mit ähnlichen Grundmustern. Ein Autor rafft und reflektiert sein jüngstes Buch. In Saeculum. Vol. 57. Iss. 1, pp. 17–36.

Schramm, G. (2006c). Fillet e krishterimit shqiptar. Konvertimi i hershëm i besëve dhe pasojat e tij të gjata. St. Gallen, Albanisches Inst. 315 S.

Schramm, G. (2008). Von Puschkin bis Gorki. Dichterische Wahrnehmungen einer Gesellschaft im Wandel. Freiburg im Breisgau, Rombach. 374 S.

Schramm, G. (2009). Pięć rozdroży w dziejach świata. Porównanie. Warszawa, Państwowy Inst. Wydawniczy. 376 s.

Schramm, G. (2014). Five Partings of Way in World History. A Comparison / transl. by B. Schmidt and B. Roberts. Frankfurt a/M, Peter Lang. 381 p.

Published

2018-04-05

How to Cite

Nachtigal, R. (2018). The Life and Work of the German Historian and Philologist Gottfried Schramm (1929–2017). Quaestio Rossica, 6(1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.15826/qr.2018.1.279

Issue

Section

Scientia et vita