Jelgava Gymnasium

Historical building of Academia Petrina (now Ģederts Eliass Jelgava History and Art Museum)

Jelgava Gymnasium or Academia Petrina is the oldest higher educational establishment in Latvia.[1] Based on an idea by Friedrich Wilhelm von Raison, it was established in Mitau, capital of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, by Duke Peter von Biron in 1775. The duke wanted to attract professors like Immanuel Kant and Johan Gottfried Herder, but they refused.

After the partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Jelgava became part of the Russian Empire and the gymnasium unsuccessfully petitioned to become a university.[2] Nevertheless, it became an important cultural hub not only for Latvians, but also Lithuanians.[3] Many famous professors had lectured in Academia Petrina for example Johann Benjamin Koppe (1775), Johann August von Starck (1777-1781) and Wilhelm Gottlieb Friedrich Beitler (1775-1811).

During World War I, the school was evacuated to Taganrog in Rostov Oblast while its 42,000-volume library was burned by troops of Pavel Bermondt-Avalov.[4] During World War II, the historical school building was almost completely destroyed, therefore school was reestablished in new premises. The original building was later restored and now functions as the Ģederts Eliass Jelgava History and Art Museum.

Name

  • 1775 Academia Petrina[5]
  • Gymnasium Petrinum[6]
  • since 1837: official name in German Gouvernements-Gymnasium
  • 1934 to 1940: Hercoga Pētera ģimnāzija (Herzog-Peter-Gymnasium)[7]
  • after 1945: Jelgavas 1. vidusskola (Jelgavan Secondary School Nr. 1)
  • 15. August 1991: 1. Gymnasium
  • 2012: Jelgavas Tehnoloģiju vidusskola (Technical Secondary School Jelgava)

History

The establishment of the academy was based on an idea by Friedrich Wilhelm von Raison: "But the whole province owes him excellent thanks for the effective part, which he took at the foundation of the Mitauian Gymnasium. He was actually the one who persuaded Duke Peter to do so; it was he who corresponded with Sulzern regarding the plan to be drawn up and because of the appointment of the first teachers and he who prescribed the books for the library and the instruments for the observatory; just as he also continuously participated in the perfection of the institute until his death". [8]

The intention was to establish a complete university with all four faculties in Mitau. This plan was rejected because of Kurland's dependence on Catholic-Polish rule. Under the law of Poland a university could not be founded without the consent and confirmation of the Pope, and it was unclear whether and when the permission by the papal curia to establish a Protestant theological faculty could have been obtained. Therefore, this intention was abandoned and it was decided to found an academic gymnasium which - half school, half university - should enjoy all the rights of a university, with the exception of the privilege of granting academic dignity. [9]

People

Famous students

NameBirthDeathLater occupation
Jānis Čakste18591927President of Latvia
Alberts Kviesis18811944President of Latvia
Antanas Smetona18741944President of Lithuania
Stanisław Wojciechowski18691953President of Poland
Ernestas Galvanauskas18821967Prime minister of Lithuania
Mykolas Sleževičius18821939Prime minister of Lithuania
Krišjānis Barons18351923Latvian folklorist
Kārlis Mīlenbahs18531916Latvian philologist
Wincenty Lutosławski18631954Polish philosopher
Eduard Alexander von der Brüggen18221896Couronian field marshall
Ulrich von Schlippenbach17741826Baltic German poet

Teachers

Name Birth Death Occupation at the school
Johann Melchior Beseke17461802Jurisprudence
Johann Benjamin Koppe175017911775, Greek language
Johann August von Starck174118161777–1781
Wilhelm Gottlieb Friedrich Beitler174518111775–1811 mathematics
Johann Jacob Ferber17431790physics and natural history
Johann Georg Eisen von Schwarzenberg171717791776–1777
Heinrich Friedrich Jäger174718111775–1789
Johann Nicolaus Tiling173917981775–1798
Johann Gabriel Schwemschuch173318031775–1798
Matthias Friedrich Watson17331805
Johann Gottlieb von Groschke17601828natural history and chemistry
Johann Daniel von Braunschweig178618571817–1837
Charles Toussaint18131877French
Magnus Georg Paucker178718551813–1855 mathematics und astronomy

References

  1. ↑ Education, the Baltic States and the EU by Bryan T. Peck, page 89
  2. ↑ Estonian studies in the history and philosophy of science by R. A. Vikhalemm, page 52
  3. ↑ Lithuanian social democracy in perspective, 1893-1914by Leonas Sabaliūnas, page 98
  4. ↑ International dictionary of library histories, Volume 1 By David H. Stam, page 395
  5. ↑ http://d-nb.info/gnd/5218444-4
  6. ↑ 'Universitäten im östlichen Mitteleuropa: Zwischen Kirche, Staat und Nation', S. 43 https://books.google.com/books?isbn=3486845462
  7. ↑ http://d-nb.info/gnd/10108948-X
  8. ↑ Allgemeines Schriftsteller- und Gelehrten-Lexikon der Provinzen Livland, Esthland und Kurland, bearbeitet von Johann Friedrich von Recke, Karl Eduard Napiersky, Dritter Band, L-R, Mitau 1831, S. 461–463
  9. ↑ http://docplayer.org/44610177-Sitzungsberichte-jahresberichte-1935-1936-der-kurzemer-kurlaendischen-gesellschaft-fuer-literatur-und-kunst.html

Coordinates: 56°39′0″N 23°43′45″E / 56.65000°N 23.72917°E / 56.65000; 23.72917

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