Mager, Karl Wilhelm Eduard

Pedagogue

Born: 01.01.1810 in Gräfrath (today Solingen)

died: 10.06.1858 in Wiesbaden

Mager began studying philosophy, philology and natural sciences in Bonn in 1828, studied linguistic methodology in Leuven (Belgium) from 1830 and history and Romance studies in Paris. In 1833 he went to Berlin and passed his state examination as a grammar school teacher in 1834. In 1837 Mager accepted an appointment as professor of German at the Collège in Geneva (until 1838). In 1839 he met the Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, who awarded him the title of Education Councillor. In 1840, he wrote his main work "Die deutsche Bürgerschule". In addition to other pedagogical writings, e.g. textbooks for language teaching, Mager published the journal "Pädagogische Revue" from 1840. In 1840, he became a member of the Royal Prussian Academy and the Frankfurt Scholars' Association. In 1842, Mager moved to Aarau (Switzerland) and took over the teaching of French at the cantonal school there. Here he tested the genetic method he had coined. In 1844, he coined the term "social pedagogy". At a teachers' meeting in Gotha, Mager was offered the position of principal of the citizen school in Eisenach, which he took up in 1848.

Due to an increasingly debilitating nervous condition, Mager underwent several treatments, went to Dresden in 1854 and finally moved to Wiesbaden in 1856. He was buried in the old cemetery on Platter Straße. His grave and burial place can no longer be found today.