Weitzel, Johannes Ignaz

Publicist, librarian, court councillor

born: 24.10.1771 in Johannisberg

died: 24.01.1837 in Wiesbaden

Weitzel studied history, literature and political science in Mainz, Jena and Göttingen. He initially worked in Mainz as a tutor, as a civil servant in the French cantonal administration, as a teacher at the Lyceum and then as editor of the "Mainzer Zeitung".

From 1810, together with Niklas Vogt, he published the monthly journal "Rheinisches Archiv für Geschichte und Litteratur", initially in Mainz and from the end of 1813 with Ernst Ludwig Theodor Schellenberg in Wiesbaden. Weitzel's contributions on current affairs take up a large amount of space in the journal. In 1811, the University of Marburg awarded him an honorary doctorate.

In mid-1816, he moved to Wiesbaden to publish Nassau's first political newspaper, the "Rheinische Blätter"; it was an official newspaper that supported the aims of the government; numerous articles and essays are said to have been written or edited by government president Karl Friedrich Emil von Ibell. The newspaper was also distributed on the left bank of the Rhine, where it was in opposition to the Prussian government. It was printed and published by Ludwig Schellenberg. The paper was only able to survive until 1820. Weitzel continued his career as director of the Nassau State Library.

Weitzel, who was regarded as the best German political writer of his time and was sympathetic to Napoleon even after his fall, was the author of numerous works on political theory as well as novels. A large number of his works were published in Wiesbaden by Schellenberg and Ritter. Weitzel was buried in the Old Cemetery in Wiesbaden.