Ludwig Klages

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Ludwig Klages
Kilchberg, Zurich, Switzerland
NationalityGerman
Alma mater
Awards
20th-century philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
School
Main interests
classical studies, eroticism, handwriting, intellectual history, metaphysics, philosophy of history, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, poetry, psychology
Notable ideas
  • Ausdruckskunde
  • Geist–Seele dialectic
  • Id (psychology)[2]
  • Logocentrism
  • Reality of images
Co-founder ofMunich Cosmic Circle
Scientific career
FieldsTheoretical psychology, characterology, chemistry
Institutions
  • University of Munich
    (1893–)
  • Chemisches Institut (1893–)[3]
  • Psychodiagnostisches Seminar (1905–1914)[4]
Theodore Lipps[5]
Influences
Influenced

Friedrich Konrad Eduard Wilhelm Ludwig Klages (10 December 1872 – 29 July 1956) was a German

University of Munich, where in 1905 he founded the Psychodiagnostisches Seminar; the latter was forced to close in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I.[13] In 1915, Klages moved to neutral Switzerland, where over the following decades much of his mature philosophical works were written. Klages died in 1956.[14]

Klages was a central figure of

semiotic studies of Western science and philosophy, namely within Derridean deconstruction.[19] Klages is similarly seen as a forebear to critical theory,[20] deep ecology,[2] and existential phenomenology
.

Klages' place in modern psychology has been likened to those of his contemporaries

Nazi leaders during the height of his career, though his proximity has since fallen to dispute.[22] Though little of his literary output has historically been available in English, Klages' thought has exhibited sweeping influence on German developments in psychology, psychiatry, literature, and various other disciplines.[23]

Biography

Early life

The Lyceum am Georgsplatz (c. 1900)

Klages was born on 10 December 1872, in

Hannover, Germany, the son of Friedrich Ferdinand Louis Klages, a businessman and former military officer, and wife Marie Helene née Kolster.[24] In 1878, his sister Helene Klages was born and the two shared a strong bond throughout their lives. In 1882, when Klages was nine years old, his mother died. The death is thought to have been the result of pneumonia. Klages had begun attending school at the Lyceum am Georgsplatz (later called the Kaiser-Wilhelm-und-Ratsgymnasium [de]) in Hannover, when his aunt, Ida Kolster, soon came to live with them to help raise the children, in keeping with the dying mother's request.[25] Klages' early education was marked by a traditional emphasis on the classics and humanities. He quickly developed a strong interest in both prose and poetry writing, as well as in Greek and Germanic antiquity.[26] His relationship with his father was strained by the latter's strictness and will to discipline him. Nevertheless, attempts to forbid Klages from writing poetry were unsuccessful by both his teachers and parents.[27]

Klages developed an intense childhood friendship with classmate

Technische Hochschule Hannover (now the University of Hannover), during 1892–1893.[30]

Munich career

Klages moved to Munich in 1893, continuing his undergraduate degree at

Munich University.[31] The same year, he joined the Chemisches Institut, a laboratory founded at the university by Adolf von Baeyer in 1875.[3] Alongside his studies, he engaged in the cultural scene in Schwabing, the Bohemian district of Munich.[29] In 1894, Klages met poet and sculptor Hans Busse, who had recently founded the Institut für wissenschaftliche Graphologie (Institute for Scientific Graphology). Handwriting analysis, or graphology, was at that time a more reputable discipline than now; Busse was sought on occasion to give expert testimony in court cases, and his passion for the subject drew Klages to him.[32] Others figures who entered Klages life at this time include psychiatrist Georg Meyer, poet Stefan George, classicist Alfred Schuler, and novelist Franziska zu Reventlow.[33]

Members of the Munich Cosmic Circle, from left to right: Karl Wolfskehl, Alfred Schuler, Ludwig Klages, Stefan George, Albert Verwey (1902, photo by Karl Bauer)

After graduating, Klages continued his work as a

research chemist and began preparing his doctoral thesis under Alfred Einhorn.[3] Klages' writings in both prose and poetry began appearing in Blätter für die Kunst, a journal publication owned by Stefan George, who himself had eagerly recognized Klages' talent.[29] In 1896, Klages, Meyer, and Busse founded a new graphological institution, the Deutsche Graphologische Gesellschaft (German Graphological Society).[32] Klages' childhood friendship with Theodor Lessing came to a bitter end in 1899. Both would later write about the depth of their relationship and influence on each other—though many aspects, such as the effect race had on their friendship, remain unclear.[34]

In 1900, Klages received his doctorate in chemistry from the

medical doctorate (MD).[35] Klage published his thesis Attempt at a Synthesis of Menthone in 1901.[3]

Switzerland career

In 1914 at the outbreak of war Klages moved to

Nazi
authorities for lack of support and on his 70th birthday in 1942 was denounced by many newspapers in Germany. After the war he was honoured by the new government, particularly on his 80th birthday in 1952.

Thought

Klages' thought is often seen as the link between

affirmation of life.[15]

Much of Klages' work makes noted use of highly precise philosophical German language as well as occasional esoteric terminology.[38]

He created a complete theory of graphology and will be long associated with the concepts of form level, rhythm and bi-polar interpretation. Together with Friedrich Nietzsche and Henri Bergson he anticipated existential phenomenology. He also coined the term logocentrism in the 1920s.[39]

As a philosopher, Klages took the Nietzschean premises of Lebensphilosophie "to their most extreme conclusions." He drew a distinction between life-affirming Seele (soul) and life-destroying Geist (spirit or intellect). Geist represented the forces of "modern, industrial, and intellectual rationalization", while Seele represented the possibility of overcoming "alienated intellectuality in favor of a new-found earthly rootedness."[40] After his death, the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas urged that Klages' developments in the fields of anthropology and philosophy of language should not be left veiled behind his enigmatic metaphysics and apocalyptic philosophy of history. Habermas characterized Klages' thought in this regard as ahead of its time.[37]

Klages influence was widespread and amongst his great admirers were contemporaries like Jewish thinker Walter Benjamin, philosopher Ernst Cassirer, philologist Walter F. Otto and novelist Hermann Hesse.[41]

Personal life

Relationships and sexuality

In uniting his philosophy and personal preferences, Klages generally opposed

sexuality as a formal concept.[42] Even during the heyday of sexual and bohemian rebellion, Herf writes, "Klages struck most observers as strikingly clean and honourable in erotic matters."[42]

When Klages moved into a new Schwabing flat in 1895, he entered into an intense sexual relationship with his landlady's daughter, with the mother's approval; the daughter, whom Klages called 'Putti', was eleven years younger than him,

homosexual men.[46] Whilst some of Klages' outward statements on homosexuality may be seen as harsh, he maintained an intimate personal and academic admiration for Schuler all throughout his life.[47]

Religion and political views

Klages, like

neo-pagan.[50]

Klages has largely been identified as

Georg Lukács, and later embraced by the European New Right.[58]
Addressing the issue of antisemitism, Klages wrote:

I have never endorsed the claim that the Nazi big-wigs belonged to a superior race. However, I must also add that I have consistently refused to accept the claim of another such race as the chosen people. The arrogance is identical in both cases, but with this important distinction: after waging war against mankind for more than three thousand years, Judaism has finally achieved total victory over all nations of the earth.[59]

Works

Klages wrote 14 books and 60 articles between 1910 and 1948, and co-edited the journal Berichte (1897–1898) and its successor Graphologische Monatshefte until 1908.

Translated works in English

  • — (1921). On the Nature of Consciousness [Vom Wesen des Bewusstseins] (translated from the 1st ed.). Independently Published (published 2022).
    ISBN 979-8500264039
    .
  • — (1922). Of Cosmogonic Eros [Vom kosmogonischen Eros]. Translated by Kuhn, Mav. Theion Publishing (published 2019).
    ISBN 978-3-9820-6540-3
    .
  • — (1926). The Science of Character [Grundlagen der Charakterkunde]. Translated by Johnston, Walter H. (translated from the 5th & 6th ed.). London: Unwin Brothers (published 2018).
  • — (n.d.). The Biocentric Worldview: Selected Essays and Aphorisms. Translated by Pryce, Joseph D.
    ISBN 978-1-9071-6661-7
    .
  • — (n.d.). Cosmogonic Reflections: Selected Aphorisms. Translated by Pryce, Joseph D.
    ISBN 978-1-9105-2441-1
    .

Selected works in German

  • Vom Wesen des Bewusstseins (1921)
  • Vom kosmogonischen Eros (1922)
  • Die Grundlagen der Charakterkunde (1926)
  • Der Geist als Widersacher der Seele (1929–32)

References

  1. ^ Lebovic 2013, p. 9.
  2. ^ a b c Pryce 2013, § Works of maturity.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bishop 2017, p. 3.
  4. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 6; Stauth & Turner 1992, p. 48.
  5. ^ a b Lebovic 2013, p. 24.
  6. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 24.
  7. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 78.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Josephson-Storm 2017, pp. 214–215.
  9. ^ Lebovic 2013, p. 87; Wolin 2004, p. 154.
  10. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, pp. 214–215; Lebovic 2013, p. 75.
  11. ^ White 1967; Britannica n.d.: "Ludwig Klages, (born Dec. 10, 1872, Hannover, Ger.—died July 29, 1956, Kilchberg, near Zürich, Switz.), German psychologist and philosopher, distinguished in the field of characterology."; "Nomination Database: Ludwig Klages". NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  12. ^ L'Agora 2014.
  13. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. 3, 7, 16; Lebovic 2013, p. 24; Stauth & Turner 1992, p. 48; Britannica n.d.: "Educated in chemistry, physics, and philosophy at the University of Munich, where he also taught".
  14. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, p. 213.
  15. ^ a b c d e Josephson-Storm 2017.
  16. ^ Lebovic 2013, p. 119.
  17. ^ White 1967: "His most important work was directed toward the formulation of a science of character that would reestablish the undifferentiated union of the life forms that had been ruptured by the emergence of ego in the human species."
  18. ^ Beyler 2015: "Alongside characterology and graphology, Klages's most prominent philosophical theme was the rejection of technical rationality and intellectualized concepts. In other words, opposition to “logocentrism,” a term he coined."; Collins 2014.
  19. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, p. 221; Lebovic 2013, p. 87.
  20. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, pp. 20, 209; Stauth & Turner 1992.
  21. ^ Bishop 2017; L'Agora 2014.
  22. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 32: "Difficult, because one of the most commonly heard charges made against Klages is that he sympathized with the National Socialists. As we shall see, however, nothing could be further from the truth."; Pryce 2013, § National Socialist Germany, World War II, and their aftermath; Schlicht 2020.
  23. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. i–xxiii, 91.
  24. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 1.
  25. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. 1–2.
  26. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 2.
  27. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 3; Lebovic 2013, p. 23.
  28. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. 2–3; Pryce 2013, § The early years.
  29. ^ a b c Pryce 2013, § The early years.
  30. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 3; Lebovic 2013, p. 24.
  31. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 3; Pryce 2013, § The early years.
  32. ^ a b Bishop 2017, p. 5.
  33. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. 5, 13; Pryce 2013, § The early years.
  34. ^ Kotowski 2000, p. 7.
  35. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 3; Lebovic 2013, p. 25; White 1967.
  36. ^ Bishop 2017, p. xvii.
  37. ^ a b Der Spiegel 1966.
  38. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 51; Josephson-Storm 2017.
  39. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, pp. 214, 221–222.
  40. ^ Aschheim 1992, pp. 80–81.
  41. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 93.
  42. ^ a b Lebovic 2013, p. 94.
  43. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. 3–4; Lebovic 2013, p. 60.
  44. ^ Lebovic 2013, p. 60.
  45. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 4; Pryce 2013, § The early years.
  46. ^ Lebovic 2013, pp. 45, 88.
  47. ^ Lebovic 2013; Pryce 2013, § The early years.
  48. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. 24, 35.
  49. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 102.
  50. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, p. 20.
  51. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017; Pryce 2013, § Works of maturity.
  52. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 32: "Difficult, because one of the most commonly heard charges made against Klages is that he sympathized with the National Socialists. As we shall see, however, nothing could be further from the truth."
  53. ^ Bishop 2017, p. 35.
  54. ^ Lebovic 2013.
  55. ^ Bishop 2017, p. xix.
  56. ^ Lebovic 2013; Stauth & Turner 1992.
  57. ^ Josephson-Storm 2017, p. 225.
  58. ^ Bishop 2017, pp. xviii–xix.
  59. ^ Schroder 1966, § 1350.

Sources

Further reading

External links

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