Guide to Bach Tour

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Description

Jena is a town in central Germany on the River Saale, about 23 KM east of Weimar. With a population of about 102,000 (as of December 2004) it is the third biggest town in the federal state of Thuringia.

Jena lacks its neighbours' charm and museum-Iike character. Yet, even industrialisation and GDR architectural sins can't keep a good college town down, and as it rebuilds, its friendly, funky spirit is coming back. Science buffs know about Jena in connection with the development of optical precision technology and names like Carl Zeiss, Emst Abbe and Otto Schott. It's a tradition that continues to this day; the city's economic landscape is dotted with corporations like Carl Zeiss Jena, Schott Jenaer Glaswerk, JENOPTIK and Jenapharm.

History

Jena was first mentioned in 1236 and developed as a market town up until the foundation of the university in 1558. On 14 October 1806 Napoleon fought and defeated the Prussian army here in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt. In 1945, towards the end of World War II, Jena was heavily bombed by the American and British allies. 153 people were killed and most of the medieval town centre was destroyed.

The university town of Jena has hosted a galaxy of German luminaries along its history. Among its famous residents were: Andy Glandt (banjo player), Friedrich Hegel, Karl Marx, Bernhard, Prince of the Netherlands (deceased 2004), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, Friedrich August Froebel (inventor of the kindergarten), Ernst Haeckel (German evolutionary biologist/zoologist), Friedrich Hölderlin, Philipp Melanchthon (theologist), Martin Luther, Otto Schott (inventor of fireproof glass), Kurt Tucholsky (writer), Johannes R. Becher (German-American composer), Carl Zeiss (founder of the Zeiss company), Walter Eucken (founder of neoliberal economic theory).

Bach Connection

There is no documentation that J.S. Bach has ever visited Jena. However, a few members of the Bach family were associated with this town.

The composer, Johann Nicolaus Bach [27] (1669-1753), known also as the 'Jena' Bach, was the eldest son of Johann Christoph Bach [13] (1642-1703), and the most noteworthy musician of that line. He was also the uncle of Maria Barbara (J.S. Bach's first wife). He received his early musical training at home and in 1690 he entered the University of Jena, pursuing his musical studies with J. N. Knüpfer. After a journey to Italy, he succeeded Knüpfer in 1694 as organist of the town church at Jena. The university authorities were however reluctant to allow him to act in addition as organist at the Kollegienkirche, as Knüpfer had done, and it was not until 1719 that he finally took on the double post of town and university organist. In 1703 he had refused an appointment in Eisenach as successor to his father, primarily, no doubt, because of the better salary in Jena, where he lived in modest prosperity. Possibly he was in contact with his relative Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach during the latter's spell in Jena, 1738-1739 (see below). From 1745, in consideration of his age, he was provided with an assistant. In the Ursprung J.S. Bach called him 'present senior of all the Bachs still living'.

Johann Friedrich Bach [29] (c1682-1730), son of the composer Johann Christoph Bach [13] (1642-1703), had attended the University of Jena, before succeeding J.S. Bach as organist of St Blasius's church in Mühlhausen in 1708.

Johann Elias Bach [39] (1705-1755), the great grandfather of whom and of J.S. Bach was Christoph Bach [5] (1613-1661), studied theology at Jena from 1728 and at Leipzig from 1738. He lived with J.S. Bach as his private secretary, pupil and tutor of his younger children until 1742.

Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach [47] (1715-1739) was the 6^th child of J.S. Bach, and a pupil of his father. After serving as organist in Mühlhausen and Sangerhausen, he enrolled as a law student at the University of Jena on January 28, 1739, but died soon afterwards; the cause is unknown. According to Wolff, it seems unlikely that his father has ever visited him there.

No doubt an excellent organist who easily passed an audition, Bernhard had a very fine instrument at his disposal in Sangerhausen: the old organ his father had played in 1702 had by then been replaced by a new instrument by Zacharias Hildebrandt of Leipzig, a frequent collaborator with Bach, onetime apprentice of the renowned Gottfried Silbermann, and now ducal Saxe-Weissenfels court organ builder. But not even this attractive organ could bind the unsteady and restless Bernhard to Sangerhausen. In the spring of 1738, he suddenly disappeared from the scene without informing anyone of his whereabouts. The embarrassed and disappointed father expressed his despair in a letter that May to Friedrich Klemm:
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For quite a while, Bernhard left no trace; no one could find him - according to an inquiry by the town council, "not even his father, the Capell Director in Leipzig." The distressed parents may not even have become aware of their lost son's matriculation in January 1739, as a law student at Jena University - an attempt on the part of the gifted young man struggling with obligation and inclination, intimidated son of a powerful father and uncertain of his own place in life, to turn things around? But only four months later, on May 27, shortly after his twenty-fourth birthday, Bernhard died "from a hot fever". Nothing beyond this is known of his illness, death, or burial.

Source: Christoph Wolff: 'Johann Sebastian Bach - The Leaned Musician', p399-400 (W.W. Norton & Company, 2000)

Events in Life History of J.S. Bach
Date/Year	Event
Leipzig (1731-1740)
Jan 28, 1739	Son Johann Gottfried Bernhard Bach registers at the University of Jena

Performance Dates of J.S. Bach’s Vocal Works: None.

Features of Interest
Zeiss Planetarium Jena: the oldest planetarium in the world. Markt (Market Place): Last remaining ensemble of the old town. Rathaus (Town Hall) (13^th century): Astronomic clock with the "Schnapphans" (snatching Hans), one of the "Seven Wonders" of Jena. Stadkirche St. Michael (St. Michael Town Church) (1506): Gothic "Hall Church" with bronze slab for Martin Luther’s grave, accessible church dome and altar underpass (one of the "Seven Wonders" of Jena), was used as military hospital in 1806. Hanfried: Statue of the Electoral Prince Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous (founder of the university). The market place served as assembly point for soldiers in 1806. Schiller’s Summer House: Residence of Friedrich Schiller, Professor at the University of Jena. Schiller Church: Place of the marriage of Friedrich Schiller and Charlotte von Lengefeld (1790). Goethe Memorial in the Botanical Gardens: Former inspector’s house,memorial honours Goethe as poet, statesman and natural scientist in Jena. University of Jena (1558): Collegium Jenense (former monastery) is the founding place of the university. Medieval city fortification with Powder Tower (13^th/14^th centuries): The medieval city wall ensemble with the prominent Johannisgate and Powder Tower still is an impressive example of the historical fortifications of the city. JenTower: The town’s landmark, shaped like a cylindrical ocular, was built as a research building for the GDR. Stadtmuseum Göhre Optisches Museum

Information & Links
Stadt Jena (Official Website) [German] Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena [German] Friedrich - Schiller - Universität Jena [German] Jena Online [German] Jena (Wikipedia) [various languages] Cityreview: Thüringen > Jena [German] Jena (Meinestadt) [German]	Jena Tourist Information Johannisstraße 23 D-07743 Jena Tel. +49 (0) 36 41 / 49 80 50 Fax +49 (0) 36 41 / 49 80 55 tourist-info@jena.de

Prepared by Aryeh Oron (March 2004 - June 2006)

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Last update: ýJuly 2, 2006 ý15:34:53