Eckermann, JOHANN PETER

Eckermann, JOHANN PETER, friend of Goethe, was born at Winsen, in Hanover, in 1792. After serving as a volunteer in Kielmannsegg's rifle corps during the war of 1813-14, he was for some time employed in the war office at Hanover, and was a student (from 1817) at the gymnasium of Hanover and university of Göttingen. The publication of his Beiträge zur Poesie, mit besonderer Hinweisung auf Goethe (Stutt. 1823), led to his removal to Weimar, where he was employed by Goethe as his assistant in preparing the final edition of his works. After being tutor to the grand-duke's son, he travelled in Italy with Goethe's son in 1830. He edited the poet's posthumous works in 1832-33, and in conjunction with Riemer brought out in 1839-40 a complete edition of his works in 40 vols. Eckermann was librarian to the grand-duchess at the time of his death at Weimar, 3d December 1854. He has won for himself a lasting name by his Gespräche mit Goethe in den letzten Jahren seines Lebens 1823-32 (2 vols. Leip. 1837; 6th ed. edited by Düntzer, 3 vols. Leip. 1884). These Conversations are of the greatest value for the light they throw on the character of Goethe both as a poet and as a man, and contain, in Eckermann's own words, 'many valuable explanations and instructions with regard to art, science, and the practical affairs of life.' The book has been translated into all the languages of Europe. The English translations are by Margaret Fuller (Boston, U.S. 1839), and John Oxenford (Lond. 1850).