Johann Gottfried Seume
Johann Gottfried Seume was a German author born on January 29, 1763, in Poserna, who emerged from a background of both prosperity and poverty. The son of a farmer, Seume faced significant hardships after his father's death when he was thirteen, which led to a struggle for financial stability. He initially studied theology at the University of Leipzig but later abandoned his studies to travel, a decision that significantly shaped his literary career. His experiences included being conscripted into military service during the American Revolution, which took him to England and Canada, and later serving in the Russian army during the Polish rebellion.
Seume is best known for his travel writings, notably "A Stroll to Syracuse" and "A Tour Through Part of Germany, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Denmark," where he provided detailed and empathetic observations of the cultures he encountered. His works reflect a deep compassion for the rights of individuals and an appreciation for diverse cultures, showcasing his perspective as both a soldier and a traveler. Despite facing health issues and financial difficulties later in life, Seume's contributions to literature include a biography and a dramatic tragedy. He passed away on June 13, 1810, leaving behind a legacy as a notable cultural and historical travel writer.
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Johann Gottfried Seume
Writer
- Born: January 29, 1763
- Birthplace: Poserna, Saxony, Germany
- Died: June 13, 1810
- Place of death: Teplitz, Germany
Biography
German author Johann Gottfried Seume was born on January 29, 1763, in the town of Poserna. He was the first of five children born to a prosperous farmer, Andreas Seume, and his wife, Regina Christina. Several years after his birth, Seume’s family was impoverished during a famine. Seume’s father died when he was thirteen, sending the family deeper into poverty. He received his early education at Borna, and then at the Nikolai School in Leipzig. He enrolled at the University of Leipzig, where he studied theology, but he became disinterested in the subject and left school to travel to Paris.
While on his way to Paris, Seume was abducted by Hessian soldiers and pressed into military service. He was first sent to England, and then to Canada to support the British during the American Revolution. Following his service in Canada, Seume was returned to Bremen, where he attempted to desert the army. He was captured and brought to Emden, where he tried to escape for a second time. Seume was eventually sold into service as an indentured servant in Emden but was allowed to visit his home. He did not return to Emden but was able to pay off his debt by translating a novel.
Seume completed his studies and received a master’s degree in 1791. For a time, he taught language in Leipzig, and he later became a tutor to Duke von Igelstrom. In 1792, he accompanied Duke von Igelstrom to Warsaw, where he met General von Igelstrom and became his secretary and a member of the Russian military. He later was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. Seume served in the Russian army during the bloody Polish rebellion, resigning his commission in 1796. Unfortunately for Seume, his resignation marked the beginning of a long battle to receive a military pension.
He returned to Leipzig, where he went to work at a publishing company. After four years, he embarked on the first of several journeys he made on foot. For nine months he walked from Leipzig to Sicily, and he described his trip in one of his most famous books, Spaziergang nach Syrakus im Jahre 1802 (1803; A Stroll to Syracuse, 1964). A few years later he traveled to Russia, Finland, and Sweden, and he recorded his journey to these countries in Mein Sommer 1805 (1806; A Tour Through Part of Germany, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, &c. During the Summer of 1805, 1807).
Seume’s health began to fail not long after he returned from this trip. He was still unable to secure his pension from the military, and he found himself in financial difficulty. His health continued to decline, and he died in Teplitz on June, 13, 1810.
Seume’s reputation primarily is based on his two accounts of his journeys throughout Europe. In some respects, he can be considered a cultural and historical travel writer, who reported what he saw with accuracy and fairness. Because of his own experiences as a soldier, he showed great compassion for the rights of individuals and their cultures. Other works by Seume include his biography, Mein Leben (1813), and his dramatic tragedy, Miltiades: Ein Trauerspiel in fünf Aufzügen (1808).