Julius Langbehn German poet, political journalist Date of Birth: 26.03.1851 Country: Germany

Biography of Julius Langben

Julius Langben was a German poet and political publicist of the conservative-nationalist movement. He actively participated as a volunteer in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. After the war, he focused on studying art history and archaeology, and he even traveled extensively in Italy.

In 1889, Langben developed a close relationship with the ailing philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. He attempted to treat Nietzsche using psychotherapeutic methods but was rejected by the philosopher's relatives. Langben was known for his extreme anti-Semitism.

One of Langben's most controversial works was the pamphlet "Rembrandt als Erzieher" ("Rembrandt as Educator"), which caused a significant stir during its time. The pamphlet criticized all aspects of contemporary German life and advocated turning to art and the cult of individuality as the only true means of education. According to Langben, Rembrandt, as the most individualistic of all German artists, should serve as the starting point for the artistic upbringing he proposed.

In 1894, Langben's ideas found a follower in Nehrlich, who published the book "Dogma vom klassischen Altertum" ("Dogma of Classical Antiquity"), which gained attention for its attacks on the cult of the Greco-Roman world, which the author believed to be extremely detrimental to humanity.

Langben's book sparked numerous parodies in Germany. Today, he is regarded as one of the ideological precursors of Nazism.