Ernst Moritz Arndt
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
a German historian, was born Dec. 26,1769, at Schoritz, in the Island of Rugen. In 1806 he became professor of philosophy at Greifswald, where his political writings so aroused the national spirit against the hated dominion of Napoleon. that they may. be regarded as having mainly influenced the combination which eventually restored the independence of Germany. After the restoration, he was appointed professor of history at Bonn in 1816, where he died Jan. 30, 1860. Arndt was one of the noblest German patriots, and, at the same time, a sincere, childlike Christian, whose spiritual poems belong to. the finest gems of German hymnology, and for which cause he deserves to be mentioned here. He composed, Ich weiss an wen ich glaube (Eng. transl. in Lyra Germ. ii, 216, "I know in whom I put my trust"): Geht nun hin und grabt mein Grab (ibid. i, 241, "Go and dig my grave to-day"). See Koch, Geschichte des deutschen Kirchenliedes, 7:20, 35, 140 sq. (B. P.)
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
A German poet and patriot, whose memory is much revered by the whole German people, one of the first to rouse his countrymen to shake off the tyranny of Napoleon; his songs and eloquent appeals went straight to the heart of the nation and contributed powerfully to its liberation; his "Geist der Zeit" made him flee the country after the battle of Jena, and his "Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?" strikes a chord in the breast of every German all the world over (1710-1860).
