Papers of Heinrich Simon, University of Manchester : Brandenburg

Papers of Heinrich Simon, University of Manchester

<p style='text-align: justify;'>The third volume covers Heinrich Simon's time after his first law examination as a <i>Referendar</i> (German trainee lawyer) at the Königliches Land- und Stadtgericht (Royal District and Town Court) in Brandenburg. It includes documents relating to his training and work at court, his spare time activities with his colleagues, visiting and invitation cards, personal accounts, items referring to a duel which Heinrich Simon was involved in, correspondence, and other general items.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The most noteworthy documents related to the time at the court in Brandenburg include a summons for Heinrich Simon to the first law examination on 7 September 1827, a letter informing Heinrich Simon of his employment as <i>Referendar</i>, a copy of the minutes of Heinrich Simon's introduction at the court, statutes of the Casino-Society at Brandenburg, the Official Gazette of the Royal Government of Potsdam and the City of Berlin, with a list of students who passed the law examination in Potsdam on 17/18 September 1827, congratulations to lawyer Freiherr (Baron) Ludewig Peter Moritz von Rönne and Lucie Ottilie Kuhlmeyer on the occasion of their wedding, a small sketch showing the <i>Referendare</i> from Brandenburg, a copy of a letter from Friedrich Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, to the court in Brandenburg, dated 10 March 1722, a mock enforcement order for Gustav Friedrich Gärtner, dated 27 December 1828, and an expenditure list with notes concerning parties of the <i>Referendare</i>. Related to the spare time activities are also several visiting and invitation cards, some with notes. Personal accounts include diary pages and notes, as well as calendars. Other materials comprise general notes and a small expenditure list, puzzles and games, a pedigree of the Electors of Brandenburg and the Kings of Prussia, and "Wilhelm Tell", translated by Heinrich Simon.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>In September 1828 Heinrich Simon was challenged to a pistol duel by one of his colleagues, the <i>Referendar</i> Bode. During the duel Bode was badly injured by Heinrich Simon's shot and he died the next day. On 14 September 1828 Heinrich Simon wrote a letter to his family, telling them about the incident. Bode seems to have intended to kill him and used an argument at the table as an excuse for the challenge to the duel. Heinrich Simon wrote that it had been very likely that Bode would have killed him and that the death of his opponent was by pure chance, as he (Heinrich Simon) had never used a pistol before.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>There are further documents recording the event of the duel: a letter Heinrich Simon wrote and signed "In der Nacht vor meinem Tode (In the night before my death), 10/11 September 1828", which indicates that the duel took place on 11 September 1828, an authority for <i>Referendar</i> Gustav Friedrich Gärtner concerning Heinrich Simon's affairs, an unopened letter from Heinrich Simon to Gustav Friedrich Gärtner and Schmiedicke (see Accompanying Material section for the opening of the letter), as well as notes and several letters from Heinrich Simon to his family and replies to these letters. At the request of Herrmann Simon, the rest of the family were told nothing about the duel, and for this reason the letters to Heinrich Simon were written only by Herrmann Simon. Heinrich Simon's mother, brother and sisters became acquainted with the incident on 21 September 1828. The event features in many of the subsequent letters. In December Heinrich Simon told his family about the investigation concerning the incident. A letter written by Simon in reply to letters from his family includes his thoughts about the expected sentence.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Another notable item is a letter dated 19th October 1828 from Herrmann Simon to <i>Referendar</i> Schmiedicke asking him to tell Heinrich Simon in a cautious manner of a bereavement which had recently occurred: Heinrich Simon's cousin, Adolph Lütke, had fallen ill while on a journey on foot with two friends and died unexpectedly soon afterwards. Related items include a handwritten obituary of Adolph Lütke from his school and university friends.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The majority of documents are in the form of correspondence, in which several people are represented, such as Heinrich Simon and his parents Herrmann and Minna, his brother Gustav, his sisters Julie, Auguste, and Hermine, and his uncle Heinrich Simon the Elder, as well as other relatives, colleagues and friends. Most of the letters are "collective", though some written by Heinrich Simon were addressed to only one member of the family, while some letters to him were written by a single person. One letter often consists of parts written over several days, or by more than one person, or addressed to more than one person. Some letters are only recorded as incomplete or drafts, or the name of the addressee or writer is abbreviated or missing.</p>