Rudolph Henzi


Samuel Gottlieb Rudolph Henzi, was a Swiss linguist, Professor at the University of Tartu on the Chair of Exegetics and Oriental languages, the Dean of the theological faculty; head of the Tartu Branch of Russian Bible Society.

Biography

Henzi was born on 7 September 1794 in Bern, Switzerland, where he received his primary and university education. During his stay at the University of Bern, he spent three years studying philosophy, then theology.
In 1816, according to the Swiss custom of ordination, he was accepted as a candidate for church duties, after which he studied theology in Tübingen for another year, and from 1817 to 1818 studied the history in Göttingen. Upon his return, he was appointed vicar in Unterseen, but in the fall of 1818 he resigned his post and, wishing to fill his knowledge of the Eastern languages, went to Paris, where he studied Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit languages under Sylvestre de Sacy.
After spending some time in Great Britain, Henzi returned to his homeland in the summer of 1819, wishing to devote himself to academic activity. At this time, the Department of Exegesis and Oriental Languages was inaugurated at the University of Tartu, where he was elected to the University Council, and on 5 March 1820, he was appointed Ordinary Professor. Even before his departure, Henzi received a degree as a Doctor of Theology at University of Tübingen for processing part of the still unreleased Arabic commentary of Al-Baydawi on the Quran.
On 30 August 1820, he delivered an introductory lecture: "Über Verhältniss der Schriften des Alten und Neuen Testaments zu einander nach Inhalt und Form". In addition to lectures on Exegesis, he also gave lectures on Eastern languages, led practical exercises on Exegesis in the theological seminary, and during the 1822–1823 academic year Henzi temporarily supervised practical classes "on the Gospel pericopam".
In 1821, he became director of the Tartu Branch of the Russian Bible Society, and in 1822, a member of the school commission. He was elected dean of the theological faculty four times.
Henzi died on 1 February 1829 in Tartu.
For the funeral, :et:Gottlieb Eduard Lenz|Gottlieb Eduard Lenz wrote an Oratio Funebris in German and Latin, which is held at the National Library of Estonia.

Family

Henzi was the son of a very rich commerciant, Rudolph Jakob Henzi, of Bern.
Henzi married Margaretha Adriana Rosamunde Furer on 31 July 1821 in Tartu. Their son, Samuel Rudolf Henzi, was born on 8 December 1822 in Tartu, and studied Medicine in St. Petersburg, Tartu and Bern.
Henzi was buried on 4 February 1829 in Tartu Vana-Jaani cemetery in plot XXXIII, field 1527, grave 5. The gravestone has since gotten removed, presumably by the Soviets, who did not like this "German graveyard", and cleared the whole plot XXXIII.

Selected bibliography

Books

More letters, see in bibliography published by Tartu University Library,.

Unknown

During his time at Tartu University, Henzi was carrying out research and also holding lectures. The names of the lectures can be found in the "Intelligenzblatt der Jenaischen allgemeinen Literatur-Zeitung". Sometime his name is given as "Rudolph" and sometimes as "Rudolf".
1820 November
1821 July
1822 November
1824 July
Additionally, to what normally he is teaching in Scholae theologorum, this time he is also teaching in Instituta Publica together with Lenz:
1826 Dezember
1828 January June
1828 Dezember

Literature