FOUNDING OF THE BERLIN UNIVERSITY. 683 



of the idealists. In tlie days of Memel and Konigsberg- lie found time 

 to pass the prospects for the future in review with faithful counselors. 

 Depressed by the tragic fate of the country, anxious lest new efforts 

 lead to deeper humiliation, his heart full of concern about the sad 

 effects upon his dear ones, he still had the strength of mind to preserve 

 his personal dignity, and not only to cling to the hope of a favorable 

 turn in his fortunes, but also, with truly statesman-like appreciation of 

 the circumstances, to devise ways and means whereby the rehabilitation 

 of the people might be made possible through its own energy. 



His deei) religious feeling, never left him during his long reign, filled 

 him with immutable trust in God. " With God for King and country" 

 soon became the battle cry with which the people rushed to the bitter 

 war, for confidence was inspired by the caution and resolution with 

 which the tried men summoned to the King's council made all pre^)- 

 arations for long-delayed deliverance. It had become a principle with 

 the Government to call into unhampered action all the living forces 

 of the State. As early as 1807 and 1808 reforms that may be described 

 as almost revolutionary were instituted. The principle that every citi- 

 zen is in duty bound to serve in tlie defense of his country, wholly new 

 to the modern world, was enunciated. The way was opened for the free 

 economic development of the rural districts and the self-government of 

 the municipal communities. New institutions in the i)rovince of peda- 

 gogics were to offer the surest guarantee for the education of the peoi)le, 

 and as his first and highest task the King put upon his programme the 

 establishment of a university in Berlin. 



By the cession of the western provinces, Halle, Erlangen, and a 

 number of Saxon, Westphalian, and Ehenish universities were lost. A 

 deputation of professors from Halle approached the King at Memel in 

 August, 1807, to petition for the transfer of their university to Berlin. 

 For political reasons the King felt obliged to refuse the request, but he 

 announced his intention of creating a new university at; Berlin, adding 

 the celebrated sentiment that what the state had lost in physical forces 

 must be replaced by spiritual forces. Accordingly, a cabinet order of 

 SeiJtember 4, 1807, decreed " the establishment at Berlin of an insti- 

 tution for all branches of learning in suitable connection with the 

 Academy of Sciences." 



Berlin at that time was still occupied by the French. A year passed 

 before the evacuation on December o, 1808. On December 13 a new 

 cabinet was formed, and on February 20, 1809, Wilhelm von Humboldt 

 was put at the head of the bureau of education. Now the actual work 

 began. A few months later we find the erudite statesman in the far 

 East occupied with what he considered his first and foremost duty, the 

 preliminaries for the organization of the Berlin University. It was to 

 be more, he said, than a merely local institution; by its instrumentality 

 "German science was to be given a refuge, the hope of which had 

 almost been relinquished." He engaged the services of a number of 



