Background

Hermann von Keyserling was born on July 20, 1880, in the Könno Manor, Kreis Pernau in Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire (now Kõnnu, Pärnu County, Estonia). He came from an old Baltic-German noble family. His grandfather was the geologist Alexander Graf Keyserling.

Education

Hermann von Keyserling received his early education at home. Later he studied at the University of Tartu, Heidelberg University and the University of Geneva. Keyserling also studied at the University of Vienna where he received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1902.

Career

Hermann von Keyserling published his first book Das Gefüge der Welt: Versuch einer kritischen Philosophie in 1906. The next year, he gave a lecture course in Hamburg. From 1911 to 1912 Keyserling undertook the trip around the world. This tour provided the material for his best-known work Das Reisetagebuch eines Philosophen that was published in 1919.

Hermann von Keyserling lost his property in the Revolution of 1918 and after that, he went to Berlin and acquired German nationality. In 1920, with the support of Ernst Ludwig and the publisher Otto Reichl, Keyserling founded the "Schule der Weisheit" (School of Wisdom). At this time he wrote such books as Schöpferische Erkenntnis, Considerations of silence and contemplation and The spectrum of Europe. After the war, Keyserling planned to found the School of Wisdom in Innsbruck. The project received a lot of support in Austria. However, Keyserling died in April 1946.

Achievements

• Hermann von Keyserling was a German philosopher and writer who was particularly famous for his book Das Reisetagebuch eines Philosophen. His philosophical ideas enjoyed considerable popularity after World War I.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Schöpferische Erkenntnis

    (Bei diesem Werk handelt es sich um eine urheberrechtsfrei...)

    1922
  • Das Gefüge Der Welt 1906

Politics

Hermann von Keyserling said that the old German policy of militarism was dead for all time. He thought that Germany needs to adopt international, democratic principles.

Views

Hermann von Keyserling's ideas centered on the theme of spiritual regeneration were often platitudinous or obscure. He held the view that the foremost duty of our time is to make the wise man into a possible type and give him all the necessary scope for his activities.

Keyserling also said that internationalism was justified in some respects, but should not be victorious in Europe, otherwise, it would dissolve the people.

Connections

Hermann von Keyserling married Maria Goedela von Bismarck-Schönhausen. The marriage produced two sons.

Grandfather:

Alexander von Keyserling

Wife:

Maria Goedela von Bismarck-Schönhausen

Son:

Arnold Keyserling

Son:

Manfred Keyserling

References

• Introduction to Keyserling
  1934