Johann Friedrich Gerhard Roeber (19 June 1819 – 12 October 1901) was a German writer and historian who participated in literary circles in
Elberfeld and
Wuppertal, in
Germany.
Life
Johann Friedrich Gerhard Roeber was born on 19 June 1819 in Elberfeld, Germany[1]—the son of a
woodturner, he attended the Elberfeld secondary school.[2] In 1834, he began an apprenticeship at the
Bankhaus von der Heydt-Kersten & Söhne [
de] (a credit bank). There he became a
clerk, received
power of attorney, and in 1872 became a
partner. He left the company in 1879 and moved to
Düsseldorf in 1894.
In the early 1840s, he participated in an Elberfeld
literary circle, which included, among others,
Adolf Schults,
Carl de Haas [
de], and
Friedrich Engels.[3] He later distanced himself from Engels, in 1886.[4][5] In 1847, he married Maria Wilhelmine Elise (née Kretzmann). At this time, he became known as a playwright, novelist, and historian.
In the early 1850s, Roeber was a member of the
Wuppertal poets' circle (Wuppertaler Dichterkreis).[6] When this dissolved, a Sunday circle (Sonntagskränzchen) was formed, meeting at Roeber's house[7] and consisting of
poetry recitations, music and discussions—the formation of which was described by
Carl Siebel in a letter to
Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter in June 1853:[8]
The founding of a poets' association [Dichtervereins] has recently been projected by Roeber, Schults, and myself—starting from the idea that all elasticity of the mind is formed purely through the exchange of ideas—we planned to meet every 4 weeks or 14 days to discuss set topics. Each person should draw their acquaintances as corresponding members, thus aiming for the greatest possible expansion gradually.
Between 1860 and 1864, he distinguished himself with publications in the
literary journalMorgenblatt für gebildete Leser. A year and a half before his death, Roeber suffered a stroke. In a moment of mental confusion, he burned numerous letters from Schults and de Haas to him.[9]
He died on 12 October 1901 in Düsseldorf. Five years after his death, a monument was erected to him on Carnapsplatz in the Elberfeld Nordstadt (later destroyed in
World War II). Another monument was erected in Düsseldorf by
Karl Janssen.[10][11]
^Knieriem 1994, p. xvi: "Roeber besuchte die Elberfelder Realschule, die zwar mit einem sogenannten Abitur abschloß, das aber keineswegs zu einem Universitätsstudium berechtigte." ["Roeber attended the secondary school in Elberfeld, which, although he graduated with a so-called Abitur, did not entitle him to study at university."]
^Engels 1974, p. xi: "Anfang März 1841 nahm das Kränzchen nach einigen Rückschlä- gen festere Gestalt an, und de Haas konnte sogar eine Einteilung der Mitglieder nach Literaturgattungen vornehmen. Dem Zirkel insgesamt gehörten außer de Haas, Schults, Roeber, Keller und Engels noch an: Friedrich Plümacher, Gustav Feldmann, Rudolf Nielo, Julius Bloem, Richard Seel, ferner Brune, Trespe, Bredow und Gantzer." ["At the beginning of March 1841, after a few setbacks, the circle took on a firmer shape and de Haas was even able to categorise the members according to literary genre. In addition to de Haas, Schults, Roeber, Keller and Engels, the circle as a whole also included Friedrich Plümacher, Gustav Feldmann, Rudolf Nielo, Julius Bloem, Richard Seel, as well as Brune, Trespe, Bredow and Gantzer."]
^Engels 1974, p. x: "Distanzierte sich 1886 deutlich von Engels, ohne ihre ge- meinsame Zusammenarbeit im »Kränzchen« zu erwähnen." ["He distanced himself significantly from Engels in 1886, without mentioning their joint collaboration in the 'Kränzchen'."]
^Kirschbaum, Jan Niko (29 April 2012).
"Friedrich-Roeber-Denkmal" [Friedrich Roeber monument]. www.denkmal-wuppertal.de (in German). Archived from
the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
Bark, Joachim (1969). Der Wuppertaler Dichterkreis; Untersuchungen zum Poeta minor im 19. Jahrhundert [The Wuppertal Poets' Circle; Studies on the poeta minor in the 19th century]. Bonn, Germany: H. Bouvier.
OCLC4240725.
Brandt-Schwarze, Ulrike (1998). "103. Roebersches Sonntagskränzchen [Elberfeld/Bannen]" [103. Roeber's Sunday circle [Elberfeld/Bannen]]. In Wülfing, Wulf; Bruns, Karin; Parr, Rolf (eds.). Handbuch literarisch-kultureller Vereine, Gruppen und Bünde: 1825 - 1933 [Handbook of literary and cultural associations, groups and societies 1825-1933]. Repertorien zur deutschen Literaturgeschichte (in German). Stuttgart Weimar: J.B. Metzler. pp. 389–392.
doi:
10.1007/978-3-476-03621-6.
ISBN978-3-476-03621-6.
Hermand, Jost (1998).
"Die Wuppertaler Dichterbünde". Die deutschen Dichterbünde: von den Meistersingern bis zum PEN-Club [The German Poets' Associations: From the Meistersingers to the PEN-CLUB] (in German). Weimar Wien: Böhlau. pp. 124–126.
ISBN978-3-412-09897-1.
OCLC39515747.
Joesten, Joseph (1906). Friedrich Roeber. Zur Feier der Enthüllung seines Denkmals in Elberfeld [Friedrich Roeber. To celebrate the unveiling of his monument in Elberfeld]. Elberfeld: Martini & Grüttefien.
Knieriem, Michael (1994). "Wir wollen dem Wuppertale einen Namen machen..." Eine Dokumentation zur Entstehungsgeschichte des Elberfelder Literaturkränzchens 1838–1844 ['We want to make a name for the Wuppertal...' A documentation of the history of the Elberfeld literary circle 1838-1844]. Nachrichten aus dem Engels-Haus (in German). Wuppertal: Stadt Wuppertal.
OCLC34645266.
Wolff, Heinz (1977). "Friedrich Roeber (1819–1901)". In Metchies, Michael (ed.). Wuppertaler Biographien, Folge 13 [Wuppertal biographies, Episode 13]. Beiträge zur Geschichte und Heimatkunde des Wuppertals. Vol. 25. Wuppertal: Born.
ISBN978-3-87093-025-7.
"Zu Friedrich Roeber's 80. Geburtstag. 19. Juni 1899" [On the occasion of Friedrich Roeber's 80th birthday. 19 June 1899]. Generalanzeiger für Düsseldorf und Umgegend. 19 June 1899.