Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling
Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling was an influential German author and physician born in 1740 in Grund, Germany. Orphaned at a young age, he overcame poverty through his exceptional intelligence, securing a teaching position by age fourteen before eventually pursuing medical studies at Strasbourg College. Notably skilled in cataract surgery, Jung-Stilling established a successful medical practice in Elberfeld, where he also authored several important texts on ophthalmology. Alongside his medical career, he served as a professor at Marburg and Heidelberg Universities, teaching subjects such as economics and political science from 1778 to 1803.
Jung-Stilling's personal life was marked by devotion to his wife Christine, who suffered from chronic health issues. He was also deeply committed to his faith as a religious separatist, engaging with the Moravian Brethren and Mennonite communities. His notable literary contributions include significant works on religious themes, particularly a commentary on the Book of Revelation that gained popularity among evangelical groups across Europe and Russia. He spent his later years as a counselor to the grand duke of Baden and continued to be recognized for both his medical expertise and spiritual writings until his death in 1817.
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Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling
- Born: September 12, 1740
- Birthplace: Grund, Germany
- Died: April 2, 1817
- Place of death: Karlsruhe, Germany
Biography
Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling, an eighteenth century author and physician, was born in Grund, Germany, in 1740. His mother died when he was a child, leaving him to be raised alone by his father, Wilhelm Jung, a tailor. Although he was raised in poverty, Jung-Stilling possessed an exceptional ability to grasp and retain information. This talent earned him a position as a school teacher at the age of fourteen. In addition to teaching school, Jung-Stilling held many other jobs, including a period spent as a tailor. His assortment of jobs allowed him to scrape together enough money to study medicine at Strasbourg College in Germany.
While studying medicine and science at Strasbourg, Jung-Stilling learned how to perform eye surgery. After graduation, he set up a medical practice in Elberfeld, Germany, and quickly became sought out for his expertise as a cataract surgeon. At this time, Jung-Stilling published many texts on the subject of ophthalmology and cataract surgery. He also was a professor of economics, public finance, and political science at Marburg and Heidelberg Universities from 1778 to 1803.
In 1771, at the age of thirty, Jung-Stilling married Christine Friedenburg, who suffered from lifelong health problems and could not leave her bed for a formal wedding ceremony. Despite her poor health and invalid state, Jung-Stilling loved his wife and remained loyal to her throughout their ten-year marriage, which ended with her death in 1781.
Although Jung-Stilling was known as a gifted physician and a talented professor, his first interest was in serving God. He considered himself a religious separatist. He identified most with the Moravian Brethren and intermingled and corresponded frequently with Mennonite communities. Jung-Stilling won lasting fame for his religious literature. One of his most noted works was titled Die Siegsgeschchte der christlichen Religion in einer gemeinnützigen Erklärung der Offenbarung Johannis (1799). This work was a commentary on the Bible’s book of Revelation and proved to be a standard study among European and Russian evangelical sects.
In his later years, Jung-Stilling was made a counselor of Charles Frederick, grand duke of Baden in Heidelberg. Jung-Stilling lived the remainder of his life in Karlsruhe, Germany, pensioned by the grand duke. He remained a well-known cataract surgeon and spiritual writer until his death in 1817.