(HOFFMANN, HEINRICH CARL GEORG). Teutsche Volks-Geschichten, aus dem ersten Jahrhundert vor und nach Christi unsres Heilands Geburt. Heidelberg, Bei Mohr & Winter, 1821. 8vo. VIII,342,(2 corrigenda) p., 10 engraved plates, 1 folding map. Hardbound. 24 cm (Ref: Holzmann/Bohatta IV, 10414 s.v. Volksgeschichten) An attempt of the Heidelberger 'Romantik' to build a national German character. (Details: Contemporary 'Pappband'. The 10 plates, mostly heroic scenes, were drawn by the author, 7 of which were etched by Bauch, and 3 by Schilbach. The map, which was also drawn by the author, is a lithography and shows boundaries in 7 watercolours) (Condition: Cover very worn at the extremities. Corners bumped. Head & tail of the spine damaged. Boards spotted. Partly foxed. Some pencil. Inscribed dedication on the front pastedown. A former owner has written in pencil on the title: 'Verf. Hoffmann, Heinr. Karl Georg') (Note: This title is a typical example of the German 'Romantik', showing the growing interest in the ancient roots of the Germans, and their 'Volksgeschichten'. The book, which was published anonymously, offers 'inter alia' also a long chapter on 'Die Befreiung Teutschlands durch Hermann den Cherusker'. Books like this were meant to entice the proponents of the Pan-German movement into a stronger sense of unity for a people that was hopelessly divided. § This title of 1821 is attributed by bibliographers to Heinrich Karl Hoffmann. A confirmation of this attribution we found in an announcement in the 'Neckar-Zeitung, no. 326, Mittwoch, 27. Nov. 1822', p. 1412: 'Heidelberg. Um vielfältigen Anfragen und Wünschen zu begegnen und zu entsprechen, erkläre ich hiemit öffentlich, dass ich gesonnen und entschlossen bin, als eine Fortsetzung der von mir herausgegebenen 'Teutschen Volksgeschichten aus dem ersten Jahrhundert vor und nach Christi Geburt', Heidelberg bei C.F. Winter 1821, auch die nachfolgenden Geschichten der Teutschen zu beschreiben. Es versteht sich von selbst, dass zwar der Geist und Zweck meiner Arbeit vollkommen sich gleich bleiben wird, demungeachtet die Art der Darstellung sich in die Eigenthümlichkeit des Gegenstandes fügen, und darum wohl da und dort andere Gestalt und Farbe annehmen muss. Auch jetzt bitte ich wieder, wie vor der Herausgabe des ersten Versuchs, alle Freunde der teutschen Geschichte, mich mit Rath und Hülfe zu unterstützen. (...). Darmstadt, den 11. Nov. 1822'. An earlier announcement of the same Hoffmann in the 'Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 49, Sonnabend, 24 März 1821', p. 195, proves that he is not the editor (Herausgeber), but the author of the collection: 'Ich habe (...) angekündigt, dass ich begonnen sey, die Geschichte unserer Vorfahren vor der Völkerwanderung, mit Bildern verziert, (...) zu schreiben. (...) unter dem Titel Teutsche Volks-geschichte aus dem ersten Jahrhundert vor und nach Christi Geburt'. He has two objectives (zwiefachen Absicht) for this publication, he declares, first it is his aim to present to the uneducated and uninformed German public a mirror that reflects its original simple and sound identity, and secondly he aims at making the history of the German people relevant to their lives. § The liberal revolutionary nationalist Heinrich Karl Hofmann (1795-1845) studied law at the University of Heidelberg, and later worked as a lawyer for the Hessian state government at Darmstadt. Hermann Haupt published in 1912 a biography of him: 'Heinrich Karl Hofmann, ein süddeutscher Vorkämpfer des deutschen Einheitsgedanken', Heidelberg, C. Winter. Hofmann was also closely connected with the ' Vormärz', and a protagonist of the Darmstadt Blacks. § The 'akademische Buchhandlung und Verlag' established in 1801 by Jacob Benjamin Mohr has become famous as the Press of the 'Heidelberger Romantik'. The firm published i.a. 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn' by Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano Görres' 'Teutsche Volksbücher' and many more titles which are still read today. In 1815 Christian Friedrich Winter, 1773-1858, an old friend of Mohr, joined as a partner. The cooperation lasted till 1822. Christian Winter was a radical liberal, whose name is closely connected with the 'Vormärz' period and the Revolution of 1848/49. In 1845 he was elected 'Bürgermeister' of Heidelberg) (Provenance: Interesting provenance. On the front pastedown a handwritten dedication by one of the publishers, Christian Friedrich Winter. The dedicatee is 'Herrn Minister General v. Schaefer'. The text reads: 'Seiner Excellenz, dem hochverehrten teutschen Krieger und biedern Vertheidiger des Rechts und der Wahrheit, Herrn Minister General v. Schaefer, mit offener Verehrung, der Verleger C. Winter'. This is Konrad Rüdolf Freiherr von Schäffer, 1770-1833. He was an old war-horse, who fought many battles, first against and later with the French. Since 1814 he was Grand-ducal lieutenant-general of Baden, and head of the 'Kriegsministerium' of the 'Kabinet Winter', (of Ludwig Georg Winter) from 1831 till 1833. At the bottom the signature of Christian Winter) (Collation: *-4, 1 - 21-8, 22-4) (Photographs on request)
Book number: 140095 Euro 230.00

Keywords: (Oude Druk), (Rare Books), Altertum, Antike, Antiquity, Baden, Christian Winter, Deutsche Geschichte, Deutschland, German history, German imprints, Germanen, Germans, Germany, Heidelberg, Heinrich Karl Georg Hoffmann, Hessen, Romantik, romanticism