Description
In addition to the letters hitherto known from W. Schulz's edition of Fichte's Correspondence (letters to the writer Ernst Wagner, to Fichte's father and other relatives after the death of the latter, to Fouqué, and to earlier students), the principal focus of this volume are the letters exchanged with the authorities while Fichte was the dean and rector of the University of Berlin. Especially interesting are the discussions among the professors concerning student discipline. Bringing the gravity of his office and personality to bear in his intervention on behalf of a Jewish student that had been unfairly treated, Fichte was forced to resign after the vast majority of his colleagues refused to budge from their position. »Man hält die Bände [...] vergnügt in den Händen. Einband und Druck künden von Sorgfalt und klassisch anmutender Solidität. Die Kommentare stehen leserfreundlich unter den Briefen, aber nie überwuchert der wissenschaftliche Apparat furchteinflößend den Haupttext. [...] Man muss seine Briefe lesen, die Gutachten der Professoren, und man versteht die ungebrochene Kraft des romantischen Universitätsideals, auch wenn es nie ganz Wirklichkeit werden konnte.« Jens Bisky, Süddeutsche Zeitung
