Johann Gustav Droysen
German historian who idealized power and coined 'Hellenistic'
Johann Gustav Bernhard Droysen (6 July 1808 – 19 June 1884) was a German historian whose work marked a significant shift in German historical thought. Born in Treptow in Pomerania, the son of an army chaplain who had witnessed the siege of Kolberg, Droysen’s childhood exposure to military operations during the War of Liberation fostered a deep attachment to Prussia. He was educated at the gymnasium of Stettin and the University of Berlin, and from 1827 to 1829 served as private tutor to the composer Felix Mendelssohn. After becoming a master at the Graues Kloster school in Berlin, he also lectured at the university, becoming a professor in 1835. His early scholarship focused on classical antiquity, including translations of Aeschylus and Aristophanes, but his reputation as a historian was established with his 1833 *History of Alexander the Great*. This work, long considered the best on the subject, reflected a new school of thought that idealized power and success, a framework Droysen derived from Hegelian philosophy. He subsequently wrote a history of Alexander’s successors, coining the term “Hellenistic” for the period between Alexander’s conquests and the Roman Empire. His later methodological study, *Outlines of the Principles of History* (1858), became widely influential in German universities. In 1840, Droysen became a professor at Kiel, where he became politically active in defending the rights of the Elbe duchies against Danish claims. Elected to the revolutionary Frankfurt parliament in 1848, he was a staunch advocate for Prussian ascendancy as the path to German unification, famously arguing that the German question was one of power between Prussia and Austria. After leaving parliament, he continued to support the duchies’ cause through historical publications. In his later career, Droysen focused on Prussian history, producing a celebrated biography of Count Yorck von Wartenburg and his monumental, multi-volume *History of Prussian Politics*, which traced the Prussian monarchy’s growth to 1756. He died in Berlin in 1884.
- born
- 6 July 1808
- died
- 19 June 1884
- field
- History
- nationality
- German
- known_for
- History of Alexander the Great; coining the term 'Hellenistic'; Prussian historiography
Lore & Background
Droysen was born at Treptow in Pomerania (now Trzebiatów in Poland) on 6 July 1808. His father, Johann Christoph Droysen, was an army chaplain. As a child, Droysen witnessed military operations during the War of Liberation. He was educated at the gymnasium of Stettin and at the University of Berlin; from 1827 to 1829 he was the private tutor of Felix Mendelssohn. In 1829 he became a master at the Graues Kloster in Berlin; he gave lectures at the University of Berlin, from 1833 as Privatdozent, and from 1835 as professor, without a salary. Jacob Burckhardt visited his class in 1839–40. Droysen studied classical antiquity; he published a translation of Aeschylus in 1832 and a paraphrase of Aristophanes (1835–1838). His Geschichte Alexanders des Grossen (1833) long remained the best work on Alexander the Great. He followed with Geschichte des Hellenismus (Hamburg, 1836–1843), in which he created the term "Hellenistic." His Vorlesung des Freiheits Krieg appeared in 1846 and his Outlines of the Principles of History, published 1858, translated 1893, was widely read throughout German universities. He followed this with Erhebung der Geschichte zum Rang einer Wissenschaft (1863). In 1840, Droysen was appointed professor of history at the University of Kiel. He composed the address of 1844 protesting the claim of King Christian VIII of Denmark. In 1848, he was elected to the Frankfurt parliament and supported Prussian ascendancy. He retired after King Frederick William IV refused the imperial crown in 1849. In 1850, with Carl Samwer, he published Die Herzogthümer Schleswig-Holstein und das Königreich Dänemark seit dem Jahre 1800. After 1851, he was appointed to a professorship at Jena; in 1859, he was called to Berlin, where he remained until his death. In 1851, he brought out a life of Count Yorck von Wartenburg and then began his Geschichte der preussischen Politik (Berlin, 1855–1886). Seven volumes were published, the last posthumously; in total the work consumed 32 volumes. Droysen was twice married and died in Berlin.
Reader's Guide
Droysen’s historical work was marked by a clear behavioural pattern: he idealized power and success, a conceptual framework he derived from the teachings of Hegel. His *History of Alexander the Great* heralded a new German school of thought that celebrated so-called “great” men, and he later coined the term “Hellenistic” to describe the era between Alexander’s conquests and the rise of Rome. Ecologically, his career intertwined closely with politics. At Kiel, he placed his historical expertise at the service of the Schleswig-Holstein estates, composing a protest address against the Danish king’s succession claims. As a member of the Frankfurt parliament in 1848, he ardently supported Prussian hegemony, arguing that German unification was a question of power, not constitutionalism, and that Prussia represented national reform while Austria stood for dynastic destruction. His later monumental *History of Prussian Politics* traced the growth of the Prussian monarchy to 1756, reflecting his penchant for showing how dynamic forces shaped history. Droysen’s significance lies in his methodological contributions: his *Outlines of the Principles of History* (1858) and *Erhebung der Geschichte zum Rang einer Wissenschaft* (1863) advanced a new approach to research and writing, widely read in German universities. His biography of Count Yorck von Wartenburg is considered a masterpiece of German biography. Within the field of historiography, Droysen represents the fusion of historical scholarship with nationalist political advocacy, using history to legitimize Prussian-led German unification.
Did You Know?
- Droysen was the private tutor of Felix Mendelssohn from 1827 to 1829.
- He created the term 'Hellenistic' to refer to the period between Alexander's conquests and the emergence of the Roman Empire.
- His work on Prussian history, Geschichte der preussischen Politik, consumed 32 volumes.
- Jacob Burckhardt visited Droysen's class in his last semester (1839–40).
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