Dr Carl Lang

250th birthday of Dr Carl Lang - survivor, headmaster and former owner of "Wackerbarths Ruhe"

"It was a lively time at Wackerbarths Ruhe and the house of the witty Dr Lang was the meeting place for the most important people from near and far". With these cheerful words, Elise Polko recalled the International Boys' School founded by Dr Carl Lang in 1816. The lawyer had previously acquired the property in Radebeul for this purpose after it had been put up for foreclosure by the judicial authorities. Born on 27 October 1766 into a well-off family, his father was already active in the legal profession and his mother came from a family of civil servants, Carl Lang received a comprehensive education. After studying law in Erlangen and Göttingen, he married a wealthy pharmacist's daughter in his home town of Heilbronn and worked as a lawyer. In 1796, he founded the Swabian Industrial Office, which handled the reconstruction of paintings and other works of art. Carl Lang's penchant for art and culture is already evident here, as he also created poetry, engravings and illustrations. The epic poem Ulrich von Hutten is regarded as his personal masterpiece. Over the course of his life, he published a large number of poems and stories, translated fables by the Greek Aesop, edited the 15-volume work "Neue Bildergalerie für junge Söhne und Töchter", published the collection "Tempel der Natur und Kunst" in 1802 and much more.

Unfortunately, the Kontor had to file for bankruptcy in 1799 and Carl Lang was forced to flee from his creditors. Under the pseudonym August Lindemann, he initially took up residence in Hamburg, where he kept his head above water by working as a publisher. However, he was discovered by his creditors and had to make another hasty and secret retreat in 1801. He settled in Berlin as Karl August von Hirschmann and once again his publishing activities secured his livelihood. With the help of his friend Karl Tauchnitz, a book producer in Leipzig, Lang was able to overcome his emergency situation and successfully complete a doctorate. With his new-found reputation, he opened an educational establishment in Tharandt near Dresden in 1810.

In the forced sale of the "Wackerbarths Ruhe" estate in Radebeul, the educationalist Carl Lang saw a good opportunity to relocate and expand his school. A stroke of luck, as it turned out, as the school became a focal point of international social life in the town. Important personalities such as Carl Maria von Weber, Ludwig Tieck and Jean Paul were among its visitors.

After his daughter Amalia's wedding in 1821, he appointed his son-in-law Dr Carl Vogel as deputy headmaster. Was this decision driven by a premonition? "Wackerbarths Ruhe" was the place where Carl Lang died on 16 May 1822 at the age of 60.

The Elise Polko quoted at the beginning is the granddaughter of Dr Carl Lang. She continues: "Dr Lang was unsurpassable in the arrangement of meaningful and glittering festivities. Musical performances, ballets, gypsy camps and balls alternated to entertain and amuse the pupils and younger teachers" The fact that these amusements caused immense expenses in addition to the school's usual maintenance fees was only realised when the school had to file for bankruptcy and close in 1823. Nevertheless, the school made an important and nationally recognised contribution to the differentiated image of the school and education system at the time, which was just as varied and multifaceted as the winding path of Dr Carl Lang's life and literary work.

Maren Gündel (Radebeul town archive)

Sources: Altner, Manfred: Sächsische Lebensbilder 2001; Weiss, Norbert / Wonneberger, Jens: Dichter Denker Literaten aus sechs Jahrhunderten in Dresden 1997.

Published in: Official Gazette Radebeul November 2016