Friedrich Nietzsche The most mysterious and original philosopher Date of Birth: 15.10.1844 Country: Germany

Biography of Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, considered the most enigmatic and original philosopher, had much to justify and perhaps even repent for. His name is controversial among those educated in humanistic ideals. The theory of the Übermensch, embraced by the ideologists of Nazism, and his statements like "push the weak" or "God is dead" have been associated with his name. The imagination paints a picture of a strong, self-assured man, obsessed with the idea of German greatness.

Nietzsche was born in 1844 into a Polish noble family. He studied philology at the University of Bonn and the University of Leipzig. He then earned a doctorate and moved to Switzerland to avoid military service. It was around this time that he formed a friendship and correspondence with Richard Wagner. Wagner, to whom Nietzsche dedicated one of his early significant works, "The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music," would become one of his main opponents fifteen years later. This relationship with Wagner and his circle further demonstrated Nietzsche's uncompromising attitude towards the adherents of German exceptionalism. In one of his statements, Nietzsche expressed annoyance not so much towards his own people but towards the belligerent nationalism embraced by the renowned composer.

This is the summarized portrait of Nietzsche, recreated from the words of his friends: "He had a habit of speaking softly, with a cautious, thoughtful gait, and calm facial features... In everyday life, he was polite, almost gentle, and consistently even-tempered. He appreciated refined manners in interactions and impressed others with his formality upon first meeting. And this is the 'Übermensch,' confident in his own superiority and disdainful of the weak? In some respects, the professional philosophers who shrug their shoulders at the mention of 'Nietzsche's philosophy' are right. He is not quite a philosopher in the sense acceptable to them. Then who is he? Some say a philologist, a poet, a philosophical essayist... His style, the music of his texts, sharply differ from the scientific manner of presentation. His approach is least suited for objective perception of life. There is not much logic in him, but there is an abundance of passion!"

At the age of 35, Nietzsche fell seriously ill, describing his health deterioration in 1876: "By 1876, my health had deteriorated... Excruciating and persistent headaches drained all my strength. Over time, they intensified to the peak of chronic pain, so that each year consisted of 200 unbearable days... It was during this terrible time that my mind reached maturity."

Among his last works are "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," "Beyond Good and Evil," and "Twilight of the Idols." These intense and despair-filled books reflected the contradictions that tore apart the soul of the ailing philosopher, expressing his internal struggle in which Nietzsche ultimately defeated himself. In 1900, at the turn of the century, he passed away in a mental clinic in Turin, Italy.

Something strange happened afterward. The most aristocratic of thinkers, an individualist, immediately gained mass popularity after his death and was reduced to mere quotations, becoming an idol. Prior to World War I, Nietzsche's name was used to justify Germany's territorial and political claims. Many admired the German people as "Übermensch," whom Nietzsche himself had said "stink." However, what Nietzsche truly said was deliberately forgotten. Lord Cranmer, a British politician, stated, "One of the reasons that compelled us to participate in the war is to protect peace, progress, and culture from falling victim to Nietzsche's philosophy." The deceased philosopher found himself caught between two fires.

Nietzsche's texts became mandatory in German high schools. In the backpacks of German youths sent to the fronts of World War I, alongside the Bible and "Faust," Nietzsche's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" lay. However, it turns out that this "Zarathustra" was not entirely Nietzschean. Prior to the war, Nietzsche's archives fell under the control of his sister, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. Later, she wrote a multi-volume biography titled "The Life of Friedrich Nietzsche," in which she presented herself as a like-minded individual and almost the sole disciple of her deceased brother. "People like my sister," the philosopher wrote, "inevitably become irreconcilable opponents of my ideas and philosophy." It was as if he foresaw that his sister would publish his texts, distorting them beyond recognition. Thus, a doppelgänger of the philosopher emerged, leaving no chance for his true image to be vindicated. Nietzscheanism, which gained widespread circulation, would be more accurately called "Förster-Nietzscheanism."

One of Nietzsche's main concepts can be summarized as follows: the spiritual maturity of every individual is marked by a crisis in the experience of self. A person realizes that their formation has taken place without their knowledge or participation. From an early age, they have been subject to the influence of traditional upbringing, education, morality, religion, and science, but at some point, they begin to feel this guardianship as a burden and a personal lack of freedom. The desire to become who they truly are, to shed the mask imposed by society, grows. The self, revolving around objective values, wants to become the center and an objective value itself. However, not everyone succeeds in this endeavor. The twentieth century demonstrated that the self not only failed to create new worlds but also veered off its previous orbit.

The famous phrase "push the weak" sounds almost like an instruction for a bouncer. But who is this "weak" being referred to? In his work "Beyond Good and Evil," Nietzsche wrote, "In man, there is a creature and a creator intertwined: in man there is... clay, filth, nonsense, chaos; but there is also a creator, a sculptor... Do you understand this contradiction?" Thus, the Nietzschean Übermensch is someone who, through an internal struggle, managed to eradicate their animalistic nature and develop their creative potential. Nietzsche categorically denied aggression. According to his assertion, a person can only attack themselves.

Critics accusing Nietzsche of promoting Germanic exceptionalism, anti-Semitism, and Slavic hostility usually focus on three points. However, a careful examination of his texts reveals that none of these accusations hold true. Here are a few selected facts and quotes:

1. "The origin of the German spirit is derived from a disordered intestine." "Wherever Germany extends, it corrupts culture."
2. "It would be useful and just to remove anti-Semitic screamers from the country." Nietzsche's break with Wagner was partly due to the composer's anti-Semitism.
3. "The talent of the Slavs seemed to me higher than the talent of the Germans." Perhaps Nietzsche's Slavic ancestry influenced this statement. Nevertheless, he did not consider Slavs to be "subhuman," as some attributed to him, including Hitler.

In the Soviet Union, Nietzsche's works were banned for a long time. Today, his original texts are well-known and translated into Russian. However, it is surprising and alarming that alongside the authentic Nietzsche, a falsified version continues to circulate. I have seen with my own eyes a book by Nietzsche edited by his sister displayed on the same shelf as the Russian translation of "Mein Kampf." This indicates that the terrifying doppelgänger of the philosopher is once again required by someone in Russia.