Ferdynand Lassalle jako czytelnik książek (w świetle wydanego we Lwowie dzieła Hermanna Onckena Lassalle i katalogu sporządzonego ręką Grafin Hatzfeldt)

Abstract

[Ferdinand Lassalle as a book reader]

The article is based on the following materials: Hermann Oncken’s Lassalle, publishedin Lviv; Grafin Hatzfeldt’s “Bucher Catalog 24 October 1856”, stored in the Manuscripts Department of the University Library in Wrocław (Acc. No. 1949/1216); a diary written in years 1840-1841, published in Wrocław in 1891; letters published in 1923 in Stuttgart; and academic works: Ferdynand Lassalle by Feliks Saks, Wrocławskie losy Ferdynanda Lassalle’a (The Life of Ferdinand Lassalle in Wrocław) by Bernard Woodrow Januszewski, Książka w życiu i działalności Ferdynanda Lassalle’a (Books in life and activity of Ferdinand Lassalle) by Anna Żbikowska-Migoń, and Ferdynand Lassalle 1825-1864 by Elżbieta Kundera. Lassalle as a reader showed special interest in ancient Greek and Roman literature. The reason for this was writing an academic work entitled “Heraclitus”. Having completed this work, Lassale gave up his studies on antiquity. Lassalle was interested in history. He was especially fascinated by books concerning the French Revolution. He also paid special attention to works on the European Revolutions of 1848, the ancient history, the Middle Ages and the period of Reformation. His home library was rich in works on these subjects. In other fields, he was interested in philosophy (Spinoza, Kant, Condorcet, Voltaire, Hegel), mythology and religions (e.g. the Bible in Luther’s translation). His interests in legal, economic, political - especially socialist - and social texts are also visible. His literary fascination is noticeable in his attention to such authors as Wieland, Lessing, Goethe, Byron, Shakespeare, Heine, Dumas, Diderot, Stendhal, Hugo, Balzac, Sue, Walter Scott, Cooper, and Dickens. In the conclusion of the article it is stated that the life and public activity of Ferdinand Lassalle was founded on rational principles, inspired by academic literature, systematically collected and studied, as well as on the ideas contained in the masterpieces of German and world literature, which were the subject of his keen interest.