Johann Martin Schleyer
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Expand Volapük Template:Infobox person Johann Martin Schleyer ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; 18 July 1831Template:Snd16 August 1912) was a German Catholic priest who invented the constructed language Volapük. His official name was "Martin Schleyer"; he added the name "Johann" (in honor of his godfather) unofficially.
Life and work
Schleyer was born in Oberlauda (Baden).<ref name="Garvia2015">Template:Cite book</ref> According to his own report, the idea of an international language arose out of a conversation he had with one of his parishioners, a semi-literate German peasant whose son had emigrated to America and could no longer be reached by mail because the United States Postal Service could not read the father's handwriting.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
He was ordained in 1856. From 1867 to 1875, Schleyer served as pastor at Krumbach near Meßkirch. At the end of this time he was jailed for four months for preaching against socialism during the Kulturkampf.<ref name=EBFR>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
From 1875 to 1885 he was pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul parish in Litzelstetten.<ref name=EBFR /> He later wrote that the first seven years in Litzelstetten were among the happiest of his life.Template:Cn
Template:AnchorAt this time he was editor of the magazine {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, devoted mainly to Catholic poetry.<ref name="Garvia2015" /> In May 1879 he published an article on Volapük in this magazine. This sketch was followed by a full-length book in 1880. The language spread widely and new clubs sprung all over Europe. After 1885 Schleyer had to retire from his pastoral duties due to ill health, though he was still involved in the Volapük movement until it fell apart a few years later.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
In 1894 Pope Leo XIII made him a papal prelate.<ref name=EBFR />
Schleyer died in Konstanz in 1912.<ref name=EBFR />
Remembrance
A campaign to beatify him was started in June 2001, based in his home parish of Litzelstetten.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The high school Martin-Schleyer-Gymnasium Lauda-Königshofen in Lauda is named for him. {{#invoke:Gallery|gallery}}
References
External links
- Template:Internet Archive author
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- Information on Schleyer and the campaign for his beatification Template:Webarchive
- (de) Johann Martin Schleyer at the Website of the Catholic Archdiocese of Freiburg