Ernst Moritz Arndt

Ernst Moritz Arndt – Life, Work, and Legacy

Explore the life of Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769–1860), the German nationalist historian, poet, and political writer. Learn about his birth, intellectual journey, contributions to German national consciousness, and famous quotes.

Introduction: Who Was Ernst Moritz Arndt?

Ernst Moritz Arndt was a prominent German historian, writer, poet, and patriot, known particularly for his role in the German national awakening during and after the Napoleonic era.

Arndt’s works—historical treatises, political pamphlets, lyric and choral poems—helped stir German resentment of French domination and contributed to evolving ideas about German identity, unity, and freedom.

However, his legacy is complex: his nationalist and (in some writings) racially tinged views have made him a contested figure in modern scholarship.

Early Life and Family

Ernst Moritz Arndt was born on 26 December 1769 in Groß Schoritz on the island of Rügen (then under Swedish-Pomerania).

His father, Ludwig Nikolaus Arndt, was a former serf (who had bought his freedom) and later worked in land management; his mother, Friederike Wilhelmine (née Schumacher), came from a yeoman family.

In 1787, the family moved to the vicinity of Stralsund (on the mainland) to allow Arndt better educational opportunities.

He studied with private tutors and then attended the local gymnasium (secondary school).

Studies, Theology, and Early Career

In 1791, Arndt enrolled at the University of Greifswald, studying theology, history, languages, and related disciplines.

He later moved to Jena (around 1793) where he was influenced by the philosophy of Johann Gottlieb Fichte and other thinkers of German idealism.

After university, Arndt served as a private tutor and occasionally assisted in church services (he was qualified for the Lutheran ministry).

At age 28, he renounced a clerical career and traveled across Europe (Austria, Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium). These journeys shaped his political sensibilities, especially regarding French influence and the state of German lands.

His travel impressions appeared later in Reisen durch einen Teil Deutschlands, Ungarns, Italiens und Frankreichs in den Jahren 1798/99.

Academic, Literary & Political Activities

Early Academic Positions

By 1800, Arndt had settled in Greifswald as a Privatdozent (private lecturer) for history.

In 1803, he published Versuch einer Geschichte der Leibeigenschaft in Pommern und Rügen (An Essay on the History of Serfdom in Pomerania and Rügen), denouncing feudal servitude in his native region. His critique was influential; in 1806, the King of Sweden (ruler of that region) abolished serfdom in Rügen and Pomerania.

He also produced a patriotic tract Germanien und Europa in 1803, critiquing French domination.

In 1806, Arndt was appointed as a full professor of history at Greifswald. Around that time, Napoleon’s forces occupied German territories; Arndt’s patriotic publications led to pressure, and he fled to Sweden to avoid suppression.

During exile, he continued writing patriotic pamphlets and songs against French rule.

Return, Lectures, and Conflict with Authorities

After the defeat of Napoleon and during the War of Liberation (Befreiungskriege), Arndt resumed political, literary, and academic engagement in the German states. He supported nationalist and liberal ideas.

He was appointed to the University of Bonn when it was founded in 1818 as professor of modern history.

However, his outspokenness against conservative political regimes, especially Prussia, led to conflict. In 1819–1820, during the period of the Carlsbad Decrees, his writings and political positions resulted in censorship, suspension of teaching, and governmental investigation.

He was forbidden to teach, though he retained his salary. He spent years in relative retirement, focusing on literary output.

In 1840, he was rehabilitated, reinstated to his professorship, and in 1841 became rector of the University of Bonn.

He also participated in the Frankfurt National Assembly during the 1848 revolutions, briefly serving as a delegate and offering critical support for German unity.

Literary & Intellectual Contributions

Arndt’s output spanned poetry, songs, historical and political writings, and memoirs:

• Nationalistic and patriotic poems / songs:
  Some of his best-known works include “Was ist des Deutschen Vaterland?” (What is the German Fatherland?), “Der Gott, der Eisen wachsen ließ” (The God Who Causes Iron to Grow), and “Was blasen die Trompeten?”

• Historical & political essays:
  Versuch einer Geschichte der Leibeigenschaft in Pommern und Rügen (on serfdom) Geist der Zeit (Spirit of the Time), in parts and editions, where he addressed the political situation of Europe and Germany.

• Memoirs and travel writing:
  His autobiographical Erinnerungen aus dem äußeren Leben (Memoirs) is a source for his views and life events. His travel accounts from 1798–99 appear in Reisen durch einen Teil Deutschlands …

• Religious / lyrical works:
  Some of his poems and hymns reflect spiritual themes; a few are included in German hymnals.

Arndt’s literary style often combined emotional patriotic fervor with moral urgency, appealing to generalized sense of German identity against foreign domination.

Personality, Ideology & Critiques

Arndt was deeply patriotic, with a belief in a culturally and linguistically defined German national identity. He advocated resistance to foreign oppression, constitutional reform, and a German national awakening.

However, his nationalism was often exclusionary. In some of his writings, he expressed hostility or negative views toward Jews, Slavs, French, and other groups.

Modern scholars critique these aspects of his thought, noting that portions of his ideological legacy fed into later racial or exclusionary nationalisms.

Despite these controversies, Arndt remained intellectually energetic well into old age, teaching, writing, and engaging public discourse to the end.

Famous Quotes by Ernst Moritz Arndt

Here are a few notable quotes attributed to him:

“Nothing that is really good and God-like dies.”

“The brave man, indeed, calls himself lord of the land, through his iron, through his blood.”

“Freedom is where you can live, as pleases a brave heart; where you can live according to the customs and laws of your Fathers; where you are made happy by that which made your most distant ancestors happy.”

“Who has no own conviction dissipates himself in the imitation of others.”

These reflect his emphasis on courage, identity, self-belief, and heritage.

Legacy, Influence & Controversy

Arndt’s influence in 19th-century Germany was significant:

• He is often considered one of the intellectual precursors and moral voices of German nationalism and the movement toward German unification.

• Many monuments, institutions, and names were dedicated to him—e.g. Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Haus in Bonn (which today functions as a museum and cultural venue).

• The University of Greifswald once bore his name (Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University), though in recent years the name has been reconsidered due to the controversies in his ideology.

• In modern times, debates have arisen about honoring him: given that some of his writings contain anti-Jewish, xenophobic, or exclusionary ideas, institutions and municipalities have reconsidered whether to continue bearing his name.

Arndt remains a contested figure: admired for his role in the German national awakening and for his literary energy, yet criticized for the darker sides of his nationalism.

Lessons and Reflections from Arndt’s Life

1. The power and danger of patriotic writing
   Arndt’s pen helped to mobilize a sense of shared identity and resistance. But it also shows how powerful rhetoric can be twisted or adopted for exclusionary ends.

2. Courage to speak, risk to dissent
   His conflicts with government authorities, especially in the repressive political milieus of early 19th-century Europe, illustrate the costs of intellectual freedom.

3. Complex legacies require nuanced judgment
   Historical figures often embody both inspiring and problematic traits. Recognizing both sides is essential to honest comprehension.

4. National identity as a cultural project
   Arndt’s efforts show how language, culture, literature, myth, and memory all contribute to forming collective national consciousness.

Conclusion

Ernst Moritz Arndt was a stirring and passionate voice in the era of Napoleonic upheaval and German national awakening. Through his historical scholarship, political tracts, and lyrical patriotism, he helped give voice to emerging German nationalism. His life spanned intellectual ferment, exile, political suppression, rehabilitation, and engaged old age.

Yet Arndt’s legacy is not without shadows: his writings sometimes articulated exclusionary or xenophobic elements that today provoke serious critique. His life invites us to consider how the same pen that uplifts can also marginalize—and how posterity must balance reverence with rigorous moral scrutiny.