As part of the reading series to mark the Philanthropinum anniversary, this time under the title “Planting School of Humanity”, the life and work of Ernst Christian Trapp will be remembered on 21 March at 6 pm in the city archive, Wasserturm Heidestraße. The director of the Philanthropinum, Astrid Bach, is expected to be a prominent reader of the texts.

Dessau’s reformist prince Leopold III Friedrich Franz may have lacked the ambition or finances to establish his own university, but his work was also indirectly fruitful for the development of educational science: When Ernst Christian Trapp took up the first professorship of education in Halle in 1779, he came from the Dessau Philanthropinum – and thus from the school whose 250th anniversary will be celebrated in 2024 with an extensive programme.

Trapp, born in Schleswig-Holstein in 1745, went to Dessau in 1777 after studying theology and working as a teacher in Segeberg, Itzehoe and Altona. The fact that he – like many of his colleagues – soon came into conflict with the founder of the school, Johann Bernhard Basedow, may have fuelled his early decision to move. However, the educationalist, who wanted to reduce the influence of theology on teaching and strengthen the role of modern foreign languages, also caused academic controversy in Halle. After a stopover at Campes’ private teaching establishment, he finally came to Brunswick, where he endeavoured to reform the school system in the Duchy. The high esteem in which Ernst Christian Trapp is still held today is demonstrated by the prize for pedagogy named after him, which has been awarded since 1996.

In addition to Trapp’s theoretical writings, the reading in the city archive will also include bizarre texts such as “Theological proof that Doctor Bahrdt was to blame for the earthquake in Calabria”. A leaflet has been published on the overall programme for the festive year, which is available at the reading series, the Philanthropinum, the tourist information office and other venues.