Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Lavater, Johann Kaspar

(Encyclopedia)Lavater, Johann Kaspar yōˈhän käsˈpär läˈvätər, läväˈtər [key], 1741–1801, Swiss theologian and mystic. He wrote several books on metaphysics, but he is chiefly remembered for his work...

Kautsky, Karl Johann

(Encyclopedia)Kautsky, Karl Johann kärl yōˈhän koutˈskē [key], 1854–1938, German-Austrian socialist, b. Prague. A leading figure in the effort to spread Marxist doctrine in Germany, he was the principal dev...

Lambert, Johann Heinrich

(Encyclopedia)Lambert, Johann Heinrich yōˈhän hīnˈrĭkh lämˈbĕrt [key], 1728–77, German-French philosopher and scientist, b. Alsace. He developed many basic concepts in mathematics, including that of the ...

Poggendorff, Johann Christian

(Encyclopedia)Poggendorff, Johann Christian yōˈhän krĭsˈtyän pôgˈəndôrfˌ [key], 1796–1877, German physicist and chemist. He founded (1824) and edited the important Annalen der Physik und Chemie and edi...

Burckhardt, Johann Ludwig

(Encyclopedia)Burckhardt, Johann Ludwig or John Lewis bo͝orkˈhärt [key], 1784–1817, European explorer, b. Switzerland, educated in Germany. Supported by an English association for promoting African discovery,...

Böttger, Johann Friedrich

(Encyclopedia)Böttger, Johann Friedrich yōˈhän frēˈdrĭkh bötˈgər [key], 1682–1719, German chemist and originator of Dresden china. When the Swedish invasion of Saxony occurred (1706), Böttger and his a...

Struensee, Johann Friedrich

(Encyclopedia)Struensee, Johann Friedrich yōˈhän frēˈdrĭkh shtro͞oˈənzā, stro͞oˈ– [key], 1737–72, Danish politician, b. Germany. As physician to Christian VII he gained complete mastery over the ins...

Winckelmann, Johann Joachim

(Encyclopedia)Winckelmann, Johann Joachim yōˈhän yōäˈkhĭm vĭngˈkəlmän [key], 1717–68, German classical archaeologist and historian of ancient art, in which field he was a noted authority. A convert to ...

Bengel, Johann Albrecht

(Encyclopedia)Bengel, Johann Albrecht yōˈhän älˈbrĕkht bĕngˈəl [key], 1687–1752, German Lutheran theologian and biblical scholar. He was appointed (1713) professor in charge of a theological training sch...

Beissel, Johann Conrad

(Encyclopedia)Beissel, Johann Conrad yōˈhän kônˈrät bīˈsəl [key], 1690–1768, founder of the Seventh-Day Baptist community at Ephrata, Pa. Emigrating (1720) from Germany, he settled first with the German ...