Karl wilhelm von humboldt biography of william hurt

He initiated and participated in the foundation of the University of Berlin as part of his project of liberal reform of German and European education. Beyond his major contributions to the philosophy of language, he is one of the pioneers of educational sciences. He was the main architect of the Prussian system of education which strongly inspired the educational systems of countries such as the United States and Japan.

Wilhelm von Humboldt, born on June 22, in Potsdam, was the son of the Prussian chamberlain and major general Alexander Georg von Humboldt de , and of Marie-Elisabeth von Humboldt, who took charge of organizing his education by calling upon a great number of teachers. His education, as well as that of his younger brother Alexander, was entrusted to Joachim Heinrich Campe, a late representative of German philanthropism, and from to to Gottlob Johann Christian Kunth de.

After studying science as well as Greek and French, he received an introduction to philosophy and administration. In January , Wilhelm von Humboldt entered the service of the Prussian state as a referendary counselor at the Berlin Court of Appeal, a position he left after one year. Immediately after the storming of the Bastille, in July , he made a trip to Paris with J.

From to , Humboldt lived in Paris. He then traveled to Spain and especially to the Basque Country. From , Humboldt was a diplomat Prussian minister plenipotentiary in Rome, then ambassador in Vienna and participant in the congress of Prague in He represented Prussia with Hardenberg at the Congress of Vienna and defended a rather hard line against the defeated France.

With Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein, he had a decisive action within the government until , when he finally retired because of his opposition to the prevailing reactionary ideas.

Wilhelm, german crown prince died

As Prussian Minister of Education , he reformed the school system, based on the ideas of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi - he sent Prussian teachers to study his methods in Switzerland. In , Humboldt founded the Alma Mater Berolinensis in Berlin, the university that bears his name today. Between and , he was sent from Prussia to London as a diplomat.