GOETHE UND HERDER, DER DEUTSCHE ROUSSEAU
GOETHE AND HERDER, THE GERMAN ROUSSEAU

Summary/Abstract: Besides Lessing, Goethe and Herder were most of all responsive to Rousseau’s ideas in the 18th century German intellectual life. During his study years in Lepzig and Strasbourg young Goethe gradually got acquainted with the whole range of Rousseau’s ideas then became an enthusiast follower of his thoughts.. The influence of Rousseau can well be seen in his first decade in Weimar. Herder was a more elaborate connoisseur of Rousseau’s ideas: his lectures on Kant in Königsberg already had dealt with Rousseau and respectively his moral philosophy. One must also take into consideration the fertile influence of Hamann, himself familiar with contemporary French literature and philosophy. Herder became an enthusiastic reader of Rousseau from the very first time in his teaching period in Riga. The early decisive impact on him of Rousseau’s ideas can be traced in all his works.

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