Gustav Adolf Deissmann (7 November 1866 – 5 April 1937) was a German Protestant theologian, best known for his leading work on the Greek language used in the New Testament, which he showed was the koine, or commonly used tongue of the Hellenistic world of that time.A. Gerber, 'Gustav Adolf Deissmann (1866-1937): trailblazer in biblical studies, in the archaeology of Ephesus, and in international reconciliation’, Buried History, Journal of the Australian Institute of Archaeology, 41, 2005, pp. 2-3.
Life
Deissmann was professor of theology at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (1897–1908), and then at the Friedrich Wilhelms University of Berlin (1908–1935). He was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and held eight honorary doctorates from 6 different countries.A. Gerber, Deissmann the Philologist, Berlin, 2010, p. 1.
In 1904 he founded, together with Albrecht Dieterich, the Eranos circle in Heidelberg. Members included Ernst Troeltsch, Max Weber, Eberhard Gothein, Georg Jellinek, Karl Rathgen, and Wilhelm Windelband.A. Gerber, Deissmann the Philologist, pp. 69-71.
In Berlin, Deissmann's academic focus began to shift from Greek philology to the ecumenical movement, church reform and, significantly, international Völkerverständigung (i.e. peace-promoting mutual understanding between nations and cultures). From 1914 until 1922 he produced a regular semi-political international communiqué, the Evangelischer Wochenbrief (1914–1921), with its English equivalent Protestant Weekly Letters (1914–1917). Its target audience was primarily influential German and American Christians, and it provided a forum for the advancement of peace and understanding among nations.A. Gerber, Deissmann the Philologist, pp. 245-281.
In 1925 Deissmann became aware of the disintegration of ancient Ephesus, a historically important archaeological site, partly excavated before World War I under the auspices of the Austrian Archaeological Institute. Deissmann campaigned single-handedly for several years, both on a national and international level, to raise awareness of the plight of Ephesus, and managed to organise funding for the archaeological work to recommence in 1926, and continued annually until 1929.A. Gerber, ‘Gustav Adolf Deissmann (1866-1937) and the revival of archaeological excavations at Ephesus after the First World War’, Jahresheft des österreichischen archäologischen Institutes, 75, 2006 , pp. 39-46.
Deissmann died on 5 April 1937, in Wünsdorf near Berlin, where he is buried in the local cemetery.
Selected works by Deissmann
See also Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera
Notes
Further reading
A. Gerber, 'Protestantism and Social Liberalism in Imperial Germany: Gustav Adolf Deissmann (1866–1937) and Friedrich Naumann (1860–1919)', in Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 57, nr. 2, 2011, pp. 174–187. C. Markschies, ‘Adolf Deißmann – ein Heidelberger Pionier der Ökumene’, in Zeitschrift für neuere Theologiegeschichte, 12, 2005, pp. 47–88. C. Markschies, ‘Adolf Deißmann. Ein Pionier der Ökumene’, in C. Möller, et al., eds., Wegbereiter der Ökumene im 20. Jahrhundert, Göttingen, 2005, pp. 32–53. C. Nottmeier, ‘Ein unbekannter Brief Max Webers an Adolf Deißmann’, in Mitteilungen der Ernst-Troeltsch-Gesellschaft, vol. 13, Augsburg, 2000, pp. 99–131. C. Nottmeier, ‘Hermann Cohen und Adolf Deißmann: Dokumente aus dem Nachlaß Adolf Deißmanns’, in Zeitschrift für neuere Theologiegeschichte, 9, 2002, pp. 302–25. G. Harder / G/ Deissmann, Zum Gedenken an Adolf Deissmann. Vortrag anläßlich des 100. Geburtstages von Adolf Deissmann am 7. November 1966, gehalten am 26. April 1967 vor den Dozenten und Studenten der Kirchlichen Hochschule in Berlin, Bremen, 1967.
External links
Gustav Adolf Deissmann Protestant Weekly letter, 1914-1916 at Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology
On Deissmann's linguistic ideas by James Hope Moulton, 1914 Schaff-Herzog article, Hellenistic Greek by Deissmann