Heinrich von Treitschke

Heinrich Gotthard von Treitschke (German: [ˈhaɪnʁɪç fɔn ˈtʁaɪt͡ʃkə]; 15 September 1834 – 28 April 1896) was a German historian, political writer and National Liberal member of the Reichstag during the time of the German Empire.

He was an extreme nationalist, who favored German colonialism and opposed the British Empire. He also opposed Catholics, Poles, Jews and socialists inside Germany. According to Hans Kohn, Treitschke's "prominent position as a national scholar and popular prophet gave to anti-Semitism in Germany a recognized standing."

Early life and teaching career

Born in Dresden. Heinrich von Treitschke came from a Saxon civil service and officer family and was of Evangelical Lutheran faith. His ancestors originated from Bohemia and, because of their Protestant religion, emigrated during the Thirty Years' War to the Electorate of Saxony after the Battle of White Mountain. His father was the Saxon lieutenant general Eduard Heinrich von Treitschke of the Kingdom of Saxony's army, who was ennobled in 1821 and who became governor of Königstein and military governor of Dresden. His uncle was the jurist Georg Carl Treitschke, and his cousin was the general Heinrich Leo von Treitschke. Treitschke developed an increasing hearing problem at a young age, which prevented him from entering public service.

He attended the renowned Dresden Kreuzschule (German for "School of the Cross") and studied history from 1851 to 1853 at the Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn, where he joined the Frankonia fraternity in the winter semester of 1851/52. There he was influenced by the historian Friedrich Christoph Dahlmann. He then continued his studies at his father’s insistence, focusing on state sciences and Kameralwissenschaft (cameralism) at the University of Leipzig. There he attended lectures by, among others, Heinrich Wuttke, against whom he developed a lasting, mutual dislike. Even as a student, he suffered from increasing hearing loss, which also made it difficult for him to attend lectures.