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Begleitheft Zur Ausstellung (PDF) Leben Andreas Libavius wurde in den späten 1550er Jahren in Halle als Sohn eines Leinewebers namens Libau geboren. Sein Geburtsdatum ist unbekannt, das ungefähre Jahr 1558 wurde errechnet aus seiner Immatrikulation im Jahre 1576. Nach dem Besuch der Lateinschule in Halle konnte er sich in Wittenberg „gratis“, also ohne Aufnahmegebühr, immatrikulieren, um nach drei Semestern nach Jena zu wechseln. Er absolvierte das Grundstudium, das mit dem Magister Artium abschloss, und begann vermutlich mit dem Studium der Medizin. Geldmangel dürfte ihn dazu getrieben haben, eine Stelle als Lehrer an der Lateinschule in Ilmenau anzunehmen, wo er auch heiratete. 1586 wurde er als Rektor an die Ratsschule in der Residenzstadt Coburg berufen. Anfang 1588 nahm Libavius das Studium auf seinem eigentlichen Interessengebiet, der Medizin, in Basel wieder auf und promovierte schon im Juli dieses Jahres zum Doktor der Medizin, nachdem er sich zum „Kaiserlich gekrönten Dichter“ hatte ernennen lassen. Der Aufenthalt in Basel prägte trotz seiner Kürze Einstellungen und Denken des Libavius im Sinne des Antiparacelsismus und brachte ihm auch viele langdauernde briefliche Beziehungen. Ab November 1588 lehrte Libavius an der Universität Jena Geschichte und Poesie, leitete aber auch medizinische Dissertationen. Doch die Universität blieb nur eine Zwischenstation, die medizinische Praxis interessierte ihn mehr. 1591 nahm er eine Stelle als Stadtphysikus in Rothenburg ob der Tauber an, wo zudem die Lateinschule reformiert werden sollte. Im Jahr darauf erhielt Libavius zusätzlich die Aufgabe des Schulinspektors, als der er nicht selbst unterrichten, sondern die Prinzipien dafür festlegen sollte. Es ist vermutlich kein Zufall, dass er Rothenburg verließ, als dort ein selbstbewusster Rektor eingestellt wurde, und in Coburg das Rektorat des Gymnasiums Casimirianum übernahm. Libavius schied nicht im Streit, er erinnerte sich später stets gern an Rothenburg als sein „anderes Vaterland“. 1605 wurde das Gymnasium Casimirianum begründet. Nach dem kurzzeitigen Rektorat von Johannes Faber, der Ende 1606 Superintendent in Eisfeld wurde, und der kommissarischen Leitung durch Konrektor Zacharias Scheffter wurde Andreas Libavius zum ersten eigentlichen Rektor berufen. Er befand sich seit 2. Dezember 1606 in Coburg und wurde am 20. März 1607 offiziell in sein Amt eingeführt. Hier arbeitete er nun ausschließlich im Schuldienst und praktizierte nicht mehr als Arzt. Am 25. Juli 1616 verstarb Libavius in Coburg und wurde am 28. Juli in der St.-Moriz-Kirche beigesetzt. Seine Frau Brigitta überlebte ihn um 16 Jahre. Sie hatten insgesamt 14 Kinder, von denen nur vier die Eltern überlebten – die Söhne Andreas und Michael sowie die Töchter Anna und Susanna (verh. Seidenbecher). Vor allem in der Rothenburger und der Coburger Zeit publizierte Libavius eine große Anzahl von Schriften auf vielen Wissenschaftsgebieten mit Schwerpunkt Chemie. Auf diesem Gebiet ist er auch alles andere als eine „lokale Größe“, keine Geschichte der Chemie und kein ernsthaftes Buch über Paracelsus und dessen Nachwirkungen kommen an ihm vorbei. Plakatwand 1 – Lebensstationen Halle Aus: Olearius, Gottfried: Halygraphia Topo-Chronologica. Leipzig, 1667. Signatur: K III 7/31 Ilmenau Lavierte Tuschzeichnung von Thamer, Anfang 18. Jh., aus der Chronik von Juncker, Hildburghausen. Kopie aus: Leisner, Silke (Hrsg.): Ilmenau. Hildburghausen, 1995. Signatur: 96,298 Rothenburg ob der Tauber Braun, Georg und Hogenberg, Franz: De praecipuis, totius universi urbibus liber primus. [S. l.], 1612, Bl. 36. Signatur: Cas B 256 Basel Braun, Georg und Hogenberg, Franz: Städte der Welt. Köln 2011. S. 176/177 Signatur: F 2013,2 Jena Braun, Georg und Hogenberg, Franz: De praecipuis, totius universi urbibus liber primus. [S. l.] 1612, Bl. 25. Signatur: Cas B 256 Vitrine 1 – Beruf und Berufung Weigel, Christoph: Abbildung der Gemein-Nützlichen Haupt-Stände. Regenspurg, 1698, Taf. nach S. 108: Der Schulmeister Signatur: Cas A 1213 Lefèvre, Nicolas: Traicté De La Chymie. Leyde, Bd. 1, 1669, Titelblatt: Labor Signatur: H I 12/1(1/2)#1 Nicht in der Ausstellung: Die früheste nachweisbare gedruckte Schrift von Libavius stellt ein Einblattdruck dar mit einem Gedicht zum Tode eines Ratsherrn aus Ilmenau, das er in Coburg drucken ließ: Libavius, Andreas: Epicedion in memoriam sepulturae pietatis integritatiosque spectatae viri Andreae Freiboth Consulis quondam in Republica Ilmenoitana. Coburgi, 1687 [i.e. 1587] Libavius, Andreas: Ad Marcum Amlingum Civem Coburgensem, Virum Senatorum : Ode Amica Strenae Nomine Missa ; Perscriptum Ihenae 17. Januarij, Anno 1589. Coburgi [1589] (Fotokopie) Signatur: Cas A 5706 „Freundschaftsgedicht als Neujahrsgeschenk“ an den Ratsherrn Marcus Amling. Ein Porträt des späteren Bürgermeisters Marcus Amling findet sich im Band Mo 483 der Landesbibliothek. Libavius, Andreas: Dialectica Aristotelica A Philippo Melanchthone Et Petro Ramo perspicue & utiliter exposita : Post coniunctis operis in usum studiosae Iuventutis in schola Rotemburgo-tuberana repetita ... Francoforti, 1599 Signatur: Cas A 2718 Nach dem handschriftlichen Besitzervermerk auf dem Titelblatt stammte der Band aus der Bibliothek von Philipp Walter Seidenbecher, Diakon in Coburg, später Superintendent zu Eisfeld und Schwiegersohn von Libavius. (Seine Ehefrau Susanna befand sich unter den Opfern der Wallenstein’schen Geiselnahme 1634 (Hönn Sa-Co Historia, 1700, S. 270 u. 274) Die Landesbibliothek Coburg besitzt mehrere Auflagen dieser Dialektik des Aristoteles in Bearbeitung des Libavius für den Schulunterricht, in denen sich der Verfasser unterschiedlich benennt: - Aufl. 1593: zum Gebrauch der Rothenburger Schuljugend, Verfasser: „Doktor der Medizin und kaiserlich gekrönter Dichter“ - Aufl. 1595: „Doktor der Medizin und kaiserlich gekrönter Dichter“ – ohne Hinweis auf Rothenburg, wo er damals wirkte (Cas A 402) - Aufl. 1599: Inspektor des Gymnasiums; zum Gebrauch der studierenden Jugend an der Schule in Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Aufl. 1600: Doktor der Medizin, Physikus in Rothenburg - Aufl. 1608: Rektor des Gymnasiums Casimirianum (Cas A 789) Isselburg, Peter: Iohannes Casimirus D. G. Dux Saxoniae. [S.l.], [1626] Kupferstich aus der Kirchenordnung von 1626 Signatur: GP 84 Bildnis des Landesfürsten, der das Gymnasium Casimirianum begründete und Andreas Libavius zum ersten eigentlichen Rektor berief. Bischoff, Melchior und Gerhard, Johann: Orationes Introductoriae Tres, In illustri Gymnasio Saxonico Coburgi, cum in illud ... introduceretur Director, Andreas Libavius ... Coburgi, 1607 Signatur: S V 3/1#3 Drei Reden zur Amtseinführung von Andreas Libavius als Rektor des Gymnasiums Casimirianum am 20. März 1607. Gerhard, Johann (Präses) und Erhard, Wilhelm Reinhard (Respondent): Aphorismi Theologici De Deo. Coburgi, 1607 Signatur: Cas A 1346#2 Disputation des D. Johann Gerhard, Superintendent zu Heldburg, mit M. Wilhelm Reinhard Erhard, Diaconus in Ummerstadt, über das Thema „Gott“, anlässlich der Amtseinführung von Libavius am 19. März 1607. Güntzel, Johann (Besitzer): Stammbuch. [Coburg], 1613-1620 Signatur: Ms 50 Eintragung von Andreas Libavius auf Bl. 59 „Des Apostels Petrus Sinnspruch nach der Überlieferung des Altertums [lautet]: Wir sagen nichts ohne [Bezug auf] die Schrift. Damit trifft des Hl. Paulus Schriftwort überein: Nicht über das, was geschrieben steht, hinausgehen! Nichts darf den Christen gewichtiger sein, als die kanonischen Schriften. Diese nämlich sind der unfehlbare Inbegriff christlichen Glaubens und Handelns. Andreas Libavius, Doktor der Medizin, kaiserlich gekrönter Dichter, Des erlauchten Casimirianum zu Coburg Direktor und Öffentlicher Professor.“ Übersetzung nach: Kühnert, Herbert: Das Gold-Rubin-Glas im Lichte der "Alchemia" des Andreas Libavius, in: Jahrbuch der Coburger Landesstiftung 1968, S. 197-220 Plakatwand 2 – Coburg Ratsschule Kopie Stadtarchiv Coburg, „Lindner-Album“, Lindner Fo._07.05_1_00025.jpg Gymnasium Auf- und Grund-Riß: Kupferstich, 41,5 x 34 cm (Platte), gestochen von Johann Leonhard Blank nach einer Zeichnung von Theodor Heinrich Tietzmann Kopie aus: Ludovici, Gottfried: Ehre des Hoch-Fürstlichen Casimiriani Academici in Coburg, oder desselben vollständige Historie … Coburg, Bd. 1, 1725 Signatur: Cas A 1423(1/2)#1 Zeugnis für Arnold Küner (Arnoldus Khuner) aus Hildburghausen 1611 Kopie Staatsarchiv Coburg, StA Urk 336 Arnold Küner (auch Künner), geb. 1684, wirkte später als Diaconus in Neustadt bei Coburg, wo er 1625 an der Pest starb. Siegel Libavius Aus: Kopie Staatsarchiv Coburg, StA Urk 336 In Erinnerung an den Beruf seines Vaters, eines Leinewebers, legte sich Andreas Libavius ein eigenes Wappen zu. Es wird durch ein halbiertes Weberschiffchen schräglinks geteilt und zeigt zweimal je drei heraldische Rosen. Als Helmzier erscheint (vermutlich) eine Spindel zwischen zweimal zwei heraldischen Rosen. Links und rechts oben auf dem Siegel steht „A L D“ = Andreas Libavius Doctor. Bestellung zum herzoglichen Bibliothekar Kopie Staatsarchiv Coburg, LAF 5662 Libavius wurde 1607 zum herzoglichen Bibliothekar ernannt. Vitrine 2 – Medizin Obwohl um 1600 galt: „Chimia est pars medicinae“ - die Chemie ist Teil der Medizin - konzentriert sich der Inhalt dieser Vitrine auf die Themen, die nach dem heutigen Verständnis zur Medizin gehören. Libavius, Andreas: Theses de summo et generali in medendo scopo, quod nimirum in omni therapeusei contraria contrarijs sint remedia: De quibus … pro summo in Medicina gradu consequendo disputabit Andreas Libavius Halensis Saxo ad quintum Calendarum Iulij … Basileae, 1588 Ausdruck
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