Introduction

Teaching at the university

Notes concerning university matters 1910-1912

From 1886/87 onwards, Henry Simonsfeld strategically concentrated on teaching the „Historische Hilfswissenschaften“, since this subject matter was not otherwise covered in the system of epochally and regionally specified professorships that was being implemented in expanding the Historical Seminar of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität and thus seemed to offer the best chances of attaining a position. In particular, he developed a new type of introductory course known as „Geschichtliche Literaturkunde“ (introduction to historical literature). This and his „historische Übungen“ (historical exercises) became fundamental elements of methodical history instruction at the university of Munich. That Simonsfeld nevertheless had to wait so long for a position as professor ordinarius has been explained as being due to the lower academic standing of the so-called „Hilfswissenschaften“, but it also may well have been due to his Jewish background, or to the simple fact that his colleague Ludwig Traube was far his superior in the field of palaeography. Henry Simonsfeld often held his exercises and consultation hours in his private rooms. Since his marriage in 1894, he lived a third floor flat in a newly built and very modern appartment building in Schellingstrasse 89 that was known as the „Fürstenhäuser“ (princes‘ houses) on account of the frescos of Bavarian kings on the front facades. At the end of the semester, he enjoyed going with his students to the Café de l’Odéon located opposite the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Maximilianstrasse.

The remains of Simonsfeld’s estate in the MGH archive include the notice on display announcing that, for reasons of sickness, Prof. Simonsfeld would not be holding his lectures in the summer semester 1912. Notably, the announcement is addressed to both male and female students (Hörer und Hörerinnen)! The collection also includes his lecture programme for the summer semesters 1910 and 1912. An interesting document of the early period of female university attendance is an attestation he wrote for Elisabeth Lürssen, who later went on to become a well-known pedagogue, politician and representative of the emancipation movement.

Transcription

Zettel (wohl Aushang)

Hörsaal N. 213

Zu meinem schmerzlichsten Bedauern muß ich auf Anordnung der Aerzte wegen eines Kehlkopf-Katarrhs meine Vorlesungen bis auf Weiteres aussetzen. Ich hoffe bestimmt sie nach Pfingsten Montag 3. Juni wieder aufnehmen u[nd] das Versäumte durch Einschiebungen nachholen zu können. Sollte dies wider Erwarten nicht der Fall sein, so würde das eingezahlte Kolleggeld vollständig zurückerstattet werden. Natürlich hat jeder der verehrten Hörer u[nd] Hörerinnen das Recht sich jetzt schon in den Listen streichen u[nd] das Honorar in der Quästur zurückgeben zu lassen. Auf keinen Fall werde ich in diesem Semester die Seminar- und die paläographischen Übungen für Geübtere (Samstag 8-10 Uhr) weiter halten, schon um später Zeit für die Einschiebungen zu gewinnen.

Prof. Simonsfeld

Zettel

München 25. X. 1911

Der Unterzeichnete bestätigt, daß Fr[äu]l[ei]n Elisabeth Lürssen aus Delmenhorst in Oldenburg seine historischen Seminarübungen im Sommersemester 1911 (bis zu ihrer Erkrankung) mit großem Eifer und reger Anteilnahme besucht, auch einmal ein Referat übernommen hat.

Prof. Dr. H. Simonsfeld