Eckermann, Johann Peter

WRITER (GERMANY)
BORN 21 Sep 1792, Winsen, Hannover - DIED 3 Dec 1854, Weimar, Thüringen
GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Historischer Friedhof, Poseckscher Garten (East of the Fürstengruft)

Eckermann was unable to finish his studies because of a lack of money. He decided to send his volume of poetry "Beyträge zur Poesie mit besonderer Hinweisung auf Goethe" to Goethe himself and in 1823 he visited Goethe himself. On his tombstone can be read that he became Goethe's secretary, but in reality Goethe only gave him occasional jobs.

In 1830 he travelled to Italy with Goethe's son August. After he fell ill he returned to Germany. August died in Italy. In 1831 he was finally able to marry his fiancee Johanna Bertram. She died in 1834 after the birth of their son Karl.

Goethe died in 1832 and had indicated that Friedrich Wilhelm Riemer and Eckermann should publish his literary legacy. But Eckermann was poor and ill and nobody helped him. In 1836 his "Gespräche mit Goethe in den letzten Jahren seines Lebens" was published and two years later a volume of poetry followed. He hardly earned any money with these publications and lived in poor circumstances until his death in 1854.

Grossherzog Karl Alexander paid for his grave near the Fürstengruft in Weimar. His wife's grave also still exists at the same cemetery.

Related persons
• wrote about Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
• travelled with Goethe, Julius August Walter
• was painted by Schmeller, Johann Joseph

Events
22/7/1831Goethe completes the second part of his "Faust". He had completed the first part in 1805. Based on his old notes he worked from 1825 to 1831 on the second part. For many years it was considered to be unplayable, but in 1852 it was staged by Johann Peter Eckermann. [Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von]
20/10/1852Premiere of Goethe's "Faust II" at the Hoftheater in Weimar. Until then it was considered unplayable. The first of three parts was staged by Johann Peter Eckermann and performed once on the occasion of the 50th service anniversary of Carl Eberwein. The other parts were first performed in 1856 after Eckermann's death. [Eberwein, Carl][Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von]

Images

The grave of Johann Peter Eckermann at the Friedhof vor dem Frauenturm, Weimar.
Picture by Androom (05 Feb 2005)

 

Sources
• Gorys, Erhard, Thüringen, Artemis Reis- en Cultuurgids, Kok Lyra, Kampen, 1996
Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909
Johann Peter Eckermann – Wikipedia
Faust. Der Tragödie zweiter Teil – Wikipedia


Eckstein, Ernst

Published: 08 Sep 2013
Last update: 03 Jan 2022