CARL RITTER’S EARLY GEOGRAPHIC THOUGHT ( 1779 - 1817 ) Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of London by WALTER ERIC BOETTCHER University College London October 1990 ProQuest Number: 10611014 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10611014 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ABSTRACT The German geographer Carl Ritter (1779-1859) created a new geographical science by applying the logical structure of eighteenth-century German educational psychology to the encyclopedic body of existing geographical knowledge. He expanded the domain of Geography by including physical deterministic forces to explain cultural variation, and applied historical linguistic analysis to derive useful information from classical, medievel and contemporary geographic texts. His general comparative methodology is not well understood by geographers today because his logical diction is unfamiliar. His scientific vocabulary is adopted from eighteenth-century theories of knowledge (Erkenntnistheorie), especially brightness theory (Helligkeitstheorie). The sources of Ritter’s pedagogic and scientific thought include: the Salzmann Institute in Schnepfenthal where he was educated in accordance with the principles of Rousseau and Basedow; Halle University where he studied Kantian logic, Leibniz-Wolffian aesthetics, and the new logical foundations of natural science, philology and pedagogy; and his own independent study as a private tutor in Frankfurt-am-Main where he deepened his knowledge of science and pedagogy by discussions with many eminent scientists and pedagogues. His meetings with J.H. Pestalozzi and Alexander von Humboldt in 1807 were crucial to his intellectual development, for von Humboldt endorsed his attempt to adopt the theory behind Pestalozzi’s method as a new logical basis for Geography. This indirectly owed much to Fichte’s philosophy of science. In Gottingen during the wars of liberation, Ritter formulated his new system as a contribution to the revival of German national identity (Volksaufklarung). This culminated in 1817 in the first volume of Die Erdkunde which was applauded throughout Germany and led to the establishment of Geography as a legitimate academic discipline. He received joint appointments to the faculties of the War College and University of Berlin where he became the first Professor of Geography. 2 Dedicated to Professor Emeritus George W. Hoffman A much respected and trusted teacher, advisor and friend. 3 PREFACE The numerous people and sources of help for the preparation of this thesis should be enumerated in detail both to acknowledge debts of gratitude and to indicate the range of materials and expertise consulted for this study. The British Library is acknowledged as my chief source of late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century German publications that form the backbone of this study. Early assistance in developing the concept of the study was provided by Mr David Wileman who guided me through the excellent collection of nineteenth-century German geographic journals in the library of the Royal Geographic Society (RGS) and allowed me to photocopy Gustav Kramer’s biography of Ritter. The archivist Mrs Christine Kelley made Carl Ritter’s correspondence with the RGS available to me at a later date. Frau Eva Lauble at the Universitatsbibliothek Freiburg also provided early assistance by photocopying the card catalogue of the Ritter archives. Later assistance was provided by Dr Arnold who authorized my visit to the archives and Frau SpieB who helped me decipher some passages from Ritter’s notebooks. Frau Corinna Haager provided me photocopies of selected letters and accommodation was arranged by H.J. Rosner from the Institut fur Physische Geographie. At the Geographisches Institut of the Universitat Heidelberg Professor Arnold Scheuerbrandt provided early guidance and copies of early articles by the late Professor Ernst Plewe. Special thanks to Frau Scheuerbrandt for providing accommodation at very short notice. Additional insights about Plewe’s historical studies were provided by Dr Ute Wardenga in Munster who also arranged my valuable meeting with Professor Manfred Biittner in Bochum. The most influential source of direction at an early stage of this thesis was Professor Dietrich Denecke in Gottingen who supported my plan to limit my study of Ritter to the early works and arranged my week-long visit to the library in Gottingen. Special thanks go to the members of his industrious and spirited family whose kindness made my stay very memorable. In East Germany I must acknowledge the help of Professor Max Linke in arranging my visits to Halle, Quedlinburg, Schnepfenthal and East Berlin. Without his experience and the support of his colleagues in Halle, I would have accomplished much less in the course of my visit. Special thanks to Dr Siegfried Kirschke for the articles he provided and the information he shared about certain taxonomic and philosophical problems. In Quedlinburg, Frau Wagner and her staff supplied notebooks and diaries from the Ritter archives which form an important part of this study. In 4 Berlin, the director of the archives of the Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Dr Wolfgang Knobloch, provided me with correspondence between Ritter and Schelling and photocopies of a few crucial pages from Schelling’s calendar for October- November 1812. Also helpful was Dr Hans-Erich Teitge of the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek who deciphered water-damaged correspondence between Blumenbach and Ritter. The deepest debt of gratitude is owed to Herm Wolfgang Pfauch in Schnepfenthal. Whatever excellence is found in Chapter III of this study is owed directly to two days of intensive discussion with Herm Pfauch whose own scholarship and selfless assistance should be a model of academic practice. In addition to academic records, the library at the Salzmann Institut in Schnepfenthal holds an amazing array of books about pedagogy and natural science from the late eighteenth- century. Financial assistance for my period of study in London and for support of numerous excursions to Germany comes from a variety of sources. The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of British Universities provided me with considerable tuition assistance which made my study in London possible. I am also indebted to the German Academic Exchange (DAAD) for their funding of a period of intensive language training at the Goethe Institut in Schwabisch Hall, West Germany and an associated archival visit to Freiburg. The Central Research Fund of the University of London provided funding for visits to the various archives in East Germany and to Universitat Gottingen. This led to the discovery of supporting documents for the central theme of my thesis. The remainder of my costs were met by participation in the U.S. Federally Insured Student Loan Program as administered through the Texas Higher Education Authority. Acknowledgement of financial help must go to Edward and Rae Triggs in Austin, my wife Teal Triggs who sacrificed her own study time to undertake part-time work here in London, and to my parents Walter and Reverend Sophia Boettcher. In Germany special thanks is owed to Frau Inge Amen in Osnabriick who assisted me greatly in arranging visits to Berlin and Gottingen and to whom I am greatly indebted for whatever German cultural insights I might possess. Final acknowledgements must be made to the numerous people in London who contributed to the study. These include Dr Christiana Rahner and Mr Tassilo Herrschel who assisted me in deciphering German handwriting, interpreting and translating difficult philosophical passages, and in the final proofreading. I am also 5 indebted to Miss Lily Kong who also assisted by proofreading the introductory chapters. Ideas and moral support came from Dr Peter Jackson, Dr Jacquie Burgess, Dr Audrey Kobayashi, Professor Fred Lu^kermann and Mr Tim McFarland. Valuable suggestions and vital information came from Professor Hanno Beck in Bonn, Dr Barry Nisbet in Cambridge, Professor Geoffrey Martin in Connecticut, and Professor Terry Jordan im Texas. A continuing debt is owed to Professor Emeritus George Hoffman who provided many letters of recommendation and introductions, and who is responsible for my introduction to geography. This study also bears the imprint of my supervisor Mr Hugh Prince whose uncompromising commitment to the historical context of ideas and motivations added an indispensable dimension to an otherwise highly rationalistic work. The convention I adopted for providing translations of the many German phrases and quotations included in the text is my own. I felt that the translations were very important in view of the limited number of Anglo-American geographers who are comfortable with German, especially early nineteenth-century German printed in Gothic script. The translations are perhaps better characterized as transliterations. In this way I hoped to restrict my interpretation to that which is expounded explicitly in the text. In some instances this produced some awkwardness or terseness in phraseology. The translations offered in the appendices were not subjected rigorously to this same approach. Whatever deficiencies exist in translation are well outweighed by the benefits of fresh material for systematic criticism by Anglo-American historians of science and geography. Walter E. Boettcher London, October 13, 1990 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT 2 PREFACE 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 LIST OF FIGURES 12 Introduction THE DEVELOPMENT OF RITTER’S EARLY IDEAS ON THE NATURE OF GEOGRAPHY 14 I. THE FORMATIVE YEARS IN RITTER’S THOUGHT 20 A. The Conventional Wisdom of the Anglo-American School 24 B.