Johann Burckhard Mencke
Johann Burckhard Mencke (1674–1733) was a notable German poet, educator, and legal scholar from Leipzig. Growing up in an academically inclined family, he received a strong education, completing both his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Leipzig by the age of 20. Mencke developed a passion for poetry during his studies, eventually founding the Vertrautes Görlitzisches Collegium Poeticum, a poetry society that grew significantly in membership over the years. His travels through France, Holland, and England allowed him to engage with prominent intellectuals of the time, and he earned recognition by becoming a member of the Royal Academy of Science in England.
Upon returning to Leipzig, Mencke was briefly offered a chair in history but opted instead to pursue a doctorate in law, which he completed in 1701. He married Katharina Gleditsch in 1702, facilitating his entry into the literary world through the publication of his poetry. Over the next eight years, he published four volumes of poetry, although he eventually ceased writing. Despite this, his influence on the literary scene in Germany remained significant until his death in 1732. Mencke's life exemplifies the intersection of education, literature, and law during a transformative period in European history.
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Johann Burckhard Mencke
Poet
- Born: April 8, 1674
- Birthplace: Leipzig, Germany
- Died: April 1, 1732
Biography
Johann Burckhard Mencke was born on April 8, 1674, in Leipzig, Germany. His parents, Otto and Magdalena Sibylla Mencke, placed great value in Johann’s education, and his father, being a professor, made sure to give Johann a quality education. Mencke attended the Nicolai school in Leipzig, and registered to attend the university there in 1691. He earned his bachelor’s degree in one year, and earned his master’s degree in 1694, having written his senior thesis on Roman coins. Mencke also received a bachelor’s degree in sacred scripture in 1696.
It was around this time that Mencke took an interest in poetry. He started to write poetry himself, and joined several rhetorical clubs in order to learn about Latin oratory and literature. This led to his teaching a poetry course in 1697. Soon after, he helped to found a poetry society, the Vertrautes Görlitzisches Collegium Poeticum. Starting out with only four members, over the years the society became very popular, with a peak membership of around 120.
For the next year or so, Mencke, traveled throughout France, Holland and England, speaking to many influential figures of the time, such as Pierre Bayle and Richard Bentley. During his time spent in England, Mencke was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Science. Mencke returned to Leipzig in 1699, and was offered a chair in history. Mencke gave up this opportunity in favor of the law study, taking his doctorate in law from the University of Halle in 1701.
Mencke married Katharina Gleditsch, the daughter of a publisher, in 1702. This gave Mencke the opportunity to have his poetry published, so he began to prepare it. Mencke published four books of poetry in the next eight years, works he had written while in school, along with some new works. Even though after these volumes were published, Mencke stopped writing poetry, he remained influential in Germany’s literary scene. Mencke died on April 1, 1732.