German historian, archivist and librarian (1822–1906)
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Ernst Wilhelm Förstemann (Danzig, 18 September 1822 – Charlottenburg, 4 November 1906) was a German historian, mathematician,doctor oflinguistics, librarian, and director of the Saxon State Library (German:Sächsische Landesbibliothek) inDresden. He is known as a founder ofonomastics andfolk etymology studies in Germany, and also for his seminal contributions made in the early years ofMayanist research, towards the decipherment and understanding ofcalendrical elements in thepre-ColumbianMaya script.[1] He was the first European to understand and interpret the Maya number system, their use of the “zero,” and their calendar system.[2]
Upon his return from Halle, Förstemann was appointed assistant teacher at the Danzig grammar school and also worked as a private tutor until 1848.[4] In 1845 he took theStaatsexamen in Berlin.[4] Förstemann was also the only contestant in a competition hosted byJacob Grimm that required a list of names that were in use in Germany until the year of 1100.[4] Although he only submitted a draft, he won the prize and was encouraged by Grimm to publish the completed work in 1858.[7]
When Förstemann was offered a position as librarian at theFürst zu Stolberg-Wernigerodesche Bibliothek in 1851, he gave up his position at Danzig and went toWernigerode.[5] Also, he added about 20,000 volumes to the library's holdings .[4] In addition to his work as librarian, Förstemann also accepted a teaching assignment at the local grammar school.[4]
In 1865[3] Förstemann was invited toDresden by the widow ofFrederick William IV of Prussia, where he succeededGustav Klemm as chief librarian at the Royal Public Library (now theSaxon State Library),[4] which contained theDresden Codex.[8] Förstemann reorganized the library and began to work on a new catalogue.[5] Förstemann resigned in 1887, aged 65, in favour of the less strenuous task[3] of overseeing the King's private library and the library of theSekundogenitur (Dresden).[5] For his services Förstemann received theAlbert Order in 1892.[9] In the following years, Förstemann prepared an edition of the Maya manuscript as well as several treatises on it.[9] His services in behalf of the reorganization of the library were most important. In 1894 he deciphered the Maya numbering systems.[9]
In 1899, Förstemann retired and moved toCharlottenburg one year later,[9] where he died on 4 November 1906.[3]
Altdeutsches namenbuch [sic!], 2 vols., 1856/59 (2nd and 3rd edd. 1900-1913). A discussion of old German proper names, the first volume being devoted to names of persons, and the second to places.[10]
Über die Gräflich Stolbergische Bibliothek zu Wernigerode, 1866
Mitteilungen der königlichen öffentlichen Bibliothek zu Dresden, 1866 ff.
Geschichte des deutschen Sprachstammes, 2 vols. 1874/75 (Reissued 1966; called by some his most important work)
Graf Christian Ernst zu Stolberg-Wernigerode, Hannover 1886.
Zur Entzifferung der Mayahandschriften, 7 vols. 1887/98
Aus dem alten Danzig, 1820-40, 1900
Zur Geschichte der Bücher-Sammlungen in der Grafschaft Wernigerode bis zum Dreißigjährigen Kriege, insbesondere der Sammlung Graf Wolfgang Ernst zu Stolberg (angelegt von etwa 1569–1606)., undated MS.
