Celebrity professor dedicates his book to Puchheim

Anyone who thinks that antiquity is no longer of interest to anyone will be taught better by him: the ancient philologist Friedrich Maier is a celebrity in his field.

For years it also delighted the Puchheim audience.

He has therefore thought of an unusual present for the city's birthday.

Puchheim

- What does Cicero have to do with Donald Trump?

Were the pagan Greek Socrates and the Catholic founder of the order Francis, with their alternative life models, brothers in spirit?

And why is democracy, this “form of government without charisma”, the political system that is most fair to the individual?

Such questions may not concern many people outside of the lecture halls, but they found and still find an audience in Puchheim, for example.

The classical philologist and emeritus university professor Friedrich Maier has given over 20 cultural lectures over the years, mostly at the invitation of the Puchheim podium, but also at the opening of exhibitions or as a keynote speaker at the citizens' ceremony.

And at the request of many listeners, he recently summarized them in an anthology.

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Friedrich Maier, classical philologist from Puchheim-Ort.

© tb

"Europe - its hidden foundations" is the title of the book, the publication of which Maier sees as a voluntary service for his hometown.

It was published on the tenth anniversary of the town's elevation and Mayor Norbert Seidl thanked the author for this gift at the small anniversary celebration.

Marvel at the presence of antiquity

One does not immediately recognize a clear central theme, a consistent theme, in the 300-page work. Using the example of Achilles before Troy and Aeneas in Rome, the heroes of the first European “epics of war” are treated. “The triumph and misery of the natural sciences” is highlighted by the humanities scholar under the title “Rape of the Earth”. Then again a text-critical analysis of the medieval “Carmina Burana” before a philosophical study of the “circle, the ancient symbol of being”.

But Greek and Roman authors, thinkers and politicians are often part of the lectures.

For Maier is convinced that today's Europe is unthinkable without the foundations laid down in classical antiquity.

Its extensive selection should also serve to "discover the presence of antiquity in astonishment".

But his basic theme is actually “human self-presentment”, as he puts it: “We are born as living beings.

We have to become human first. "

Friedrich Maier - a luminary in his field

Friedrich Maier was born on October 21, 1935 in the Upper Palatinate. He is a German classical philologist and a leading didactic specialist in ancient languages. Maier taught at universities in Munich and Berlin, most recently as professor for didactics of ancient languages. For many years he was chairman of the German Classical Philology Association (from 1993 to 2001) and he campaigned for the modernization of classical language teaching at a central point and with high publicity. In 2015, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon for his services to his department. The laudation was given by the Bavarian Minister of Education, Ludwig Spaenle. The senior lives in Puchheim-Ort with his wife Luise, who contributed poems she wrote herself for the new book. The book is available from local bookstores.

The expert in the ancient languages ​​- his earlier, three-volume textbook on Latin teaching is said to have set standards - despite all his erudition, also cultivates understandable, yet elegant German.

Some of the lectures were originally given in front of colleagues at philology congresses, but others were not aimed at an actual specialist audience.

Maier presented these to senior students at the Munich university, high school students or exhibition visitors in Puchheim.

If necessary, the texts have been carefully updated or supplemented.

The evening lecture from 1999 at Berlin's Humboldt University on the history and symbolism of the New York Statue of Liberty, for example, recently received an up-to-date addendum.

This was entitled "Freedom Must Bear Mourning - The Tragedy of a Great State Model".

Donald Trump gets his fat off

This text also speaks of the former American President.

But for a scientist, Donald Trump experiences a downright passionate slap in the chapter “The Word as a Weapon”, where he is compared to the Roman senator and rhetorician Cicero.

In terms of gestures and facial expressions, the American might remind you of the ancient orator, but his language is "without flow and momentum, comes across as bumpy".

Similar to the short of breath, "hate-soaked sprint tweets".

Cicero was certainly no stranger to being in love with himself, judges the ancient philologist, but he is said not to have been a populist or an egomaniac.

One would never have heard “Romans first” in Latin either.

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