# Wilhelm Windelband

> German philosopher (1848–1915)

**Wikidata**: [Q77045](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q77045)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Windelband)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wilhelm-windelband

## Summary
Wilhelm Windelband was a German philosopher, historian, and university teacher who lived from 1848 to 1915. A citizen of the Kingdom of Prussia during the era of the German Empire, he is recognized as a significant figure in philosophy, having taught at several major German universities and held membership in prestigious academies of sciences across Europe.

## Biography
- Born: May 8, 1848 (some sources list May 11, 1848)
- Died: October 22, 1915
- Nationality: Kingdom of Prussia (part of the German Empire after 1871)
- Education: University of Freiburg, Heidelberg University, University of Zurich
- Known for: Contributions to philosophy and history as a scholar and university teacher
- Employer(s): Leipzig University, University of Göttingen, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Field(s): Philosophy, History

## Contributions
Wilhelm Windelband's professional contributions centered on philosophy, the study of the truths and principles of being, schools of thought, knowledge, and conduct, as well as history. As a university teacher, he worked within the German academic system at some of its most prominent institutions during a period of significant intellectual development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His membership in five separate academies of sciences—in Heidelberg, Berlin (Royal Prussian), Munich (Bavarian), Turin, and Göttingen—reflects the breadth of his scholarly output and recognition. While specific publications are not detailed in the provided source material, his dual roles as philosopher and historian placed him at the intersection of historical scholarship and philosophical inquiry, fields central to the German academic tradition during his lifetime.

## FAQs
### What was Wilhelm Windelband's profession?
Wilhelm Windelband was a German philosopher, historian, and university teacher whose work focused on philosophical truths, principles, and historical scholarship.

### Where did Wilhelm Windelband receive his education?
He studied at the University of Freiburg (founded 1457 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), Heidelberg University (founded 1386 in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany), and the University of Zurich (founded 1833 in Zurich, Switzerland).

### What universities employed Wilhelm Windelband?
He was employed by Leipzig University (founded 1409 in Saxony, Germany), the University of Göttingen (founded 1734 in Göttingen, Germany), Friedrich Schiller University Jena (founded 1558 in Jena, Thuringia, Germany), and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (founded 1809 in Berlin, Germany).

### What academic societies was Wilhelm Windelband affiliated with?
He was a member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Academy of Sciences of Turin, and the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony.

### In what historical context did Wilhelm Windelband live and work?
He lived during the period of the Kingdom of Prussia within the German Empire and was alive during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, a military conflict between the Second French Empire and Prussia and its allies that contributed to German unification.

## Why They Matter
Wilhelm Windelband matters as a significant figure in German philosophy during a transformative era in European intellectual history. Born in 1848 and living until 1915, he witnessed the unification of Germany, the Franco-Prussian War, and the rise of the German Empire—contexts that shaped the academic environment in which he worked. His membership in five prestigious academies of sciences—the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (founded 1909), the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences (active 1700–1946), the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (founded 1759), the Academy of Sciences of Turin (founded 1757/1783), and the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony (founded 1751)—demonstrates the wide recognition of his scholarly contributions across German-speaking and broader European intellectual circles. As a university teacher at Leipzig, Göttingen, Jena, and Berlin, he influenced generations of students at institutions that were central to the German academic tradition. His dual expertise in both philosophy and history positioned him within a scholarly lineage that valued rigorous engagement with both historical knowledge and philosophical inquiry.

## Notable For
- German philosopher, historian, and university teacher (1848–1915)
- Citizen of the Kingdom of Prussia during the German Empire era
- Educated at the University of Freiburg, Heidelberg University, and the University of Zurich
- Employed at Leipzig University, University of Göttingen, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Member of five academies of sciences: Heidelberg, Royal Prussian, Bavarian, Turin, and Göttingen
- Contemporary of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871)
- Connected to notable philosophers Fyodor Stepun (1884–1965) and Bruno Bauch (1877–1942)
- Documented across extensive international library and catalog systems (Library of Congress, VIAF, ISNI, and dozens of others)
- Wikipedia presence spanning approximately 40 sitelinks across language editions

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Wilhelm Windelband was born on May 8, 1848 (with some sources citing May 11, 1848) in the Kingdom of Prussia. The Kingdom of Prussia was a former European state established in 1701 that became part of the German Empire after 1871. He pursued his higher education at three prominent institutions: the University of Freiburg, a university in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany founded on September 21, 1457; Heidelberg University, a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany founded in 1386; and the University of Zurich, a public research university in Zurich, Switzerland founded in 1833.

### Academic Career and University Affiliations
Windelband built an extensive academic career across four major German universities. He served as a university teacher at Leipzig University, a university in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany that was founded on December 2, 1409 and employed approximately 5,300 people. He also worked at the University of Göttingen, a university in the city of Göttingen, Germany founded in 1734 with approximately 12,469 employees. His career included Friedrich Schiller University Jena, a university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany founded in 1558 with approximately 6,979 employees. Additionally, he was employed at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, a public research university in Berlin, Germany founded on August 16, 1809, with employee counts varying between approximately 4,479 and 7,423 across different records.

### Professional Memberships and Academy Affiliations
Windelband held memberships in several prestigious academies of sciences. He was affiliated with the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, an academy of sciences founded on May 22, 1909, headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany. He belonged to the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, an academy of sciences that operated from July 11, 1700 until 1946, based in Germany. His memberships also included the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, an academy of sciences founded in 1759 and headquartered in Germany; the Academy of Sciences of Turin, a science academy in Italy with founding dates of 1757 and 1783, headquartered in Turin; and the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony, an academy of sciences founded in 1751 in Göttingen, Germany.

### Historical Context and Era
Windelband's lifespan from 1848 to 1915 placed him within a pivotal period of German and European history. He was 22 years old at the time of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), a military conflict between the Second French Empire and Prussia and its allies. This conflict directly preceded the establishment of the German Empire in 1871, under which the Kingdom of Prussia became a constituent state. His professional career unfolded during the height of German academic prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

### Professional Network and Associated Figures
Within his field, Windelband was connected to other notable philosophers of his era. Fyodor Stepun (1884–1965) was a Russian philosopher who shared professional connections with Windelband. Bruno Bauch (1877–1942) was a German philosopher with citizenship in the same political entity, who worked as both a philosopher and university teacher. These associations situate Windelband within a broader network of European philosophical thought during a period of significant intellectual development and exchange.

### Fields of Work and Intellectual Focus
Windelband's primary field of work was philosophy, defined as the study of the truths and principles of being, schools of thought, knowledge, or conduct. Philosophy, as an academic discipline and branch of science during his era, encompassed philosophical methods, philosophical analysis, and various approaches to understanding consciousness and experience. His concurrent work as a historian involved the exploration and presentation of history, complementing his philosophical inquiries with rigorous historical scholarship. The combination of these fields placed him within a tradition that valued both systematic philosophical thinking and careful attention to historical context and development.

### Documentation and Legacy
Wilhelm Windelband died on October 22, 1915. His life and work are extensively documented across numerous international library and academic catalog systems. His identifiers include the Library of Congress authority ID (n86828049), VIAF ID (2564503), ISNI (0000000121180184), GND ID (118633635), BNF ID (124386935), SUDOC ID (03352842X), and dozens of other catalog entries across national bibliographic systems worldwide. His Wikipedia entry spans approximately 40 sitelinks across different language editions, reflecting his recognition and importance in global academic discourse. His Wikidata description identifies him simply and directly as a "German philosopher (1848–1915)."

## References

1. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
2. www.accademiadellescienze.it
3. Integrated Authority File
4. BnF authorities
5. Mathematics Genealogy Project
6. Find a Grave
7. International Standard Name Identifier
8. Virtual International Authority File
9. CiNii Research
10. SNAC
11. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
12. Internet Philosophy Ontology project
13. Croatian Encyclopedia
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. CONOR.SI
16. Autoritats UB
17. FactGrid
18. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
19. Catalogo of the National Library of India