Berlin Period

Between his arrival in Berlin on June 6, 1691, and his death on February 5, 1705, Philipp Jakob Spener stood up for Pietism and defended it in a number of extensive polemical pamphlets against the theological attacks of Lutheran Orthodoxy. When the Alma Mater Hallensis was inaugurated on July 1, 1694, he was able to influence who was appointed to the academic chairs. He was also involved in the transfer of August Hermann Francke to the pastorate in Glaucha, near Halle, in 1692.

The letters to August Hermann Francke and Adam Rechenberg, which also originated in this period, form their own modules within the edition of letters. While the preliminary work for the other parts of the project was largely completed when the Spener Research Center of the Saxon Academy of Sciences in Leipzig began its work in July, 2011, such was hardly the case for Spener‘s period of activity as Provost at St. Nikolai and as Consistorial Councilor in Berlin.

At the present time, 867 letters have been verified. Among these, 389 letters could be assigned to 134 of Philipp Jakob Spener‘s correspondents who are known by name. Among the addressees still to be determined, 387 are completely anonymous, without any indication of the person or his office, and can be identified only from the context of the relevant letters.

In preparation

Briefe aus der Berliner Zeit 1691-1705, Band 1: 1691-1693

Briefe aus der Berliner Zeit 1691-1705, Band 2: 1694-1696

Briefe aus der Berliner Zeit 1691-1705, Band 3: 1697-1698

Briefe aus der Berliner Zeit 1691-1705, Band 4: 1699-1701

Planned

Briefe aus der Berliner Zeit 1691-1705, Band 5: 1702-1705