# Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach

> German legal scholar (1775-1833)

**Wikidata**: [Q61929](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61929)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Johann_Anselm_Ritter_von_Feuerbach)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/paul-johann-anselm-ritter-von-feuerbach

## Summary

Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach (1775–1833) was a German legal scholar, jurist, philosopher, judge, university teacher, and writer. He is recognized for his contributions to the field of criminology and held academic positions at several prominent German universities, including Kiel University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

## Biography

- **Born:** November 14, 1775
- **Died:** May 29, 1833
- **Nationality:** German (citizen of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, a Duchy and Grand Duchy in present-day Thuringia, established in 1741)
- **Education:** Friedrich Schiller University Jena (a university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany, established in 1558)
- **Known for:** Legal scholarship, contributions to criminology, judicial service, and philosophical writing
- **Employer(s):** Kiel University (established 1665), Friedrich Schiller University Jena (established 1558), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (established 1472)
- **Field(s):** Criminology
- **Memberships:** Academy of Science for Public Utility (established 1754), Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (established 1759, headquartered in Munich)
- **Awards:** Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown (Bavarian award, established March 19, 1808), Order of the Crown (Württembergian order, established September 23, 1818), Order of the White Falcon (established 1732)
- **Occupations:** Jurist, legal scholar, philosopher, university teacher, judge, writer

## Contributions

Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach contributed to multiple domains within legal scholarship and academia. His field of work centered on criminology—the academic study of the causes and manifestations of crime—which intersects with social sciences, sociology, psychology, and law. As a university teacher, he served at three major German institutions: Kiel University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena (where he was also educated), and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. His work as a judge complemented his academic pursuits, bridging theoretical legal scholarship with practical judicial application. He was also recognized as a writer, producing works that communicated ideas related to law, philosophy, and legal theory.

## FAQs

**What was Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach's profession?**
He held multiple professional roles throughout his career: jurist, legal scholar, philosopher, university teacher, judge, and writer. His primary field of work was criminology.

**Where was Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach employed?**
He was affiliated with three German universities: Kiel University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena (also his alma mater), and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, serving as a university teacher at these institutions.

**What academic organizations was he a member of?**
He was a member of two academies: the Academy of Science for Public Utility (founded in 1754) and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (founded in 1759 and headquartered in Munich).

**What honors did Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach receive?**
He received three orders of merit: the Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown (a Bavarian award established in 1808), the Order of the Crown (a Württembergian order established in 1818), and the Order of the White Falcon.

**What was his nationality and where did he live?**
He was a citizen of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, a Duchy and later Grand Duchy located in present-day Thuringia, Germany.

## Why They Matter

Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach holds significance as a foundational figure in German legal scholarship and the academic study of criminology. Working during a transformative period in German legal history, his multifaceted career as jurist, judge, university teacher, and writer allowed him to influence both the theoretical development of legal philosophy and the practical application of law in judicial proceedings. His association with three major universities—Kiel, Jena, and Munich—placed him at the center of German academic life, where he would have shaped the education of future legal professionals. His membership in prestigious learned societies, the Academy of Science for Public Utility and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, further reflects the recognition he received from the intellectual community. The honors bestowed upon him by Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach indicate that his contributions were valued across multiple German states.

## Notable For

- Being a prominent German legal scholar active from 1775 to 1833
- Contributing to the field of criminology as a recognized area of academic inquiry
- Serving as a university teacher at three major institutions: Kiel University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Holding the position of judge alongside his academic career
- Membership in the Academy of Science for Public Utility (established 1754)
- Membership in the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (established 1759, headquartered in Munich)
- Receiving the Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown, a prestigious Bavarian award established in 1808
- Receiving the Order of the Crown, a Württembergian order established in 1818
- Receiving the Order of the White Falcon, established in 1732
- Being a citizen of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach during its existence as a Duchy and Grand Duchy
- Working as a writer and philosopher in addition to his legal and academic roles

## Body

### Early Life and Citizenship

Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach was born on November 14, 1775, and died on May 29, 1833. He was a citizen of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, a state in present-day Thuringia that existed as a Duchy and later Grand Duchy, with its inception dated to approximately 1741 and later restructured in 1809.

### Education

Feuerbach received his education at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, a university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany, which was established in 1558. As of available records, the university employs approximately 6,979 people and maintains 54 Wikipedia sitelinks.

### Academic Career

Feuerbach served as a university teacher at three major German institutions:

- **Kiel University:** A university in Germany established in 1665, with 47 Wikipedia sitelinks.
- **Friedrich Schiller University Jena:** His alma mater, where he both studied and later taught.
- **Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München:** A public university in Munich, Germany, established in 1472. The university has approximately 14,083 employees (with variations across recorded measurements) and maintains 76 Wikipedia sitelinks.

### Professional Roles

His professional identity encompassed six distinct occupations:
- **Jurist:** A legal scholar or academic who studies, teaches, and develops law
- **Legal scholar:** A researcher who focuses on legal issues
- **Philosopher:** A person with extensive knowledge of philosophy
- **University teacher:** A person teaching at a university or college
- **Judge:** An official who presides over court proceedings
- **Writer:** A person who uses written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works

### Field of Work: Criminology

Feuerbach's designated field of work was criminology, defined as the academic study of the causes and manifestations of crime. Criminology is classified as a social science discipline and encompasses multiple subfields including victimology, biosocial criminology, and critical criminology. While criminology as a formally recognized academic discipline emerged with an inception date around 1900, Feuerbach's work in the late 18th and early 19th centuries positioned him as a contributor to its early foundations. The field intersects with sociology, psychology, and law—all areas relevant to his professional roles.

### Memberships and Academic Societies

Feuerbach held membership in two notable academies:

- **Academy of Science for Public Utility:** An academy of sciences established in 1754 in Germany.
- **Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities:** An academy of sciences established in 1759, headquartered in Munich, with 27 Wikipedia sitelinks.

### Honors and Awards

Throughout his career, Feuerbach received three distinguished orders:

- **Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown:** A Bavarian award established on March 19, 1808.
- **Order of the Crown:** A Württembergian order established on September 23, 1818.
- **Order of the White Falcon:** An order established approximately in 1732, associated with the country linked to Q155570.

### Identifiers and Legacy

Feuerbach is documented extensively across bibliographic and authority control systems, including identifiers from VIAF (36980148), GND (118532766), Library of Congress (n50001279), BNF (122846420), SUDOC (031676405), and many others. His Wikidata description reads "German legal scholar (1775-1833)," and his Wikipedia article maintains 30 sitelinks across language editions. His name variant "Paul Johann Anselm von Feuerbach" is recorded as an alias.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Find a Grave
3. BnF authorities
4. Library of the World's Best Literature
5. International Standard Name Identifier
6. Open Library
7. SNAC
8. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
9. Frankfurter Personenlexikon
10. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
11. Proleksis Encyclopedia
12. Croatian Encyclopedia
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. Virtual International Authority File
15. [Source](https://www.bartleby.com/library/bios/index3.html)
16. CONOR.SI
17. LIBRIS. 2012