Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel (31 January 1741 – 23 April 1796) was a German satirical and humorous writer.
Hippel was born at Gerdauen in the Kingdom of Prussia, where his father was rector of a school. He enjoyed an excellent education at home, and in his sixteenth year he entered the University of Königsberg as a student of theology. Among his instructors was the philosopher Immanuel Kant, and the two became close friends. Interrupting his studies, he went, on the invitation of a friend, to St Petersburg, where he was introduced at the court of the empress Catherine II. Returning to Königsberg he became a tutor in a private family; but, falling in love with a young lady of high position, his ambition was aroused, and giving up his tutorship he devoted himself with enthusiasm to legal studies. He was successful in his profession, and in 1780 was appointed chief burgomaster in Königsberg, and in 1786 privy councillor of war and president of the town. As he rose in the world, however, his inclination for matrimony vanished, and the lady who had stimulated his ambition was forgotten. He died at Königsberg on 23 April 1796, leaving a considerable fortune.Hippel had extraordinary talents, rich in wit and fancy, but his was a character full of contrasts and contradictions. Cautiousness and ardent passion, dry pedantry and piety, morality and sensuality; simplicity and ostentation composed his nature and, hence, his literary productions never attained artistic finish. In his Lebenslaufe nach aufsteigender Linie (1778–81) he intended to describe the lives of his father and grandfather, but he eventually confined himself to his own. It is an autobiography, in which persons well known to him are introduced, together with a mass of heterogeneous reflections on life and philosophy. Kreuz- and Querzüge des Ritters A bis Z (1793–94) is a satire levelled against the follies of the age: ancestral pride and the thirst for orders, decoration and the like.Among others of his better known works were Über die Ehe (1774) and Über die bürgerliche Verbesserung der Weiber (1792). In the latter essay, Hippel argued that the natural traits of women make them superior for many tasks, especially education. According to Jane Kneller, Hippel's "central claim" in this essay is that "excluding women from the public square is a travesty of justice that prevents the advancement of humanity toward genuine civilization." Timothy F. Sellner has produced an English translation of this work under the title On Improving the Status of Women. Hippel was once called the fore-runner of Jean Paul, and had some resemblance to this author, in his constant digressions and in the interweaving of scientific matter in his narrative. Like Richter he was strongly influenced by Laurence Sterne. He never married.
In 1827–38 a collected edition of Hippel's works in 14 volumes was issued at Berlin. Über die Ehe was edited by Emil Brenning (Leipzig, 1872) and Gustav Moldenhauer (Leipzig, n.d. [c. 1905]), and the Lebenslaufe nach aufsteigender Linie, in a modernized edition by Alexander von Oettingen (1878), went through several editions. See J Czerny, Sterne, Hippel and Jean Paul (Berlin, 1904).
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Some of their strengths
Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intellectual, Independent, Analytical, Innovative, Optimistic, Bold, and Confident.
Idealistic and Altruistic
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder is someone who is an idealist and an altruist who possesses an innovative, intellectual, and analytical mind, and who approaches life in an optimistic and easygoing manner. A person who seems to identify with family, heritage and ancestry.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Ambitious and Forceful
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder as someone who is ambitious, hard-working, determined, and intelligent.
A person who has a knack for identifying opportunities, has amazing concentration and focus, who can work independently, who likes starting new things, and who is somewhat of an intellectual.
Perceptive and Visionary
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder is someone who has a natural awareness about what is going on in the surrounding environment and the world at large, and a refined vision of how to navigate it.
They are also someone who is balanced, stable, and energetic, who likes the idea of home and family, and who is very comfortable being the person in charge.
Altruistic and Innovative
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder tends to be someone who sacrifices things for the good of others and wants to do "good" in the world. Who is often thought of as an innovator or rebel who thrives when trying to chase a breakthrough of some sort, who has a clear and sound mind, and who can be charming and sociable.
Some of Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder's challenges
While Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder can be Arrogant, Rebellious, Emotionally Distant, Status-seeking, Complicated, Brusque, and Relentless.
Rebellious and Emotionally Distant
One of Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder's key challenges is that they are someone who can be rebellious and emotionally distant.
Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs, and can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Relentless and Inflexible
Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder is someone who can be relentless, obsessive, and inflexible, who can be confrontational with work colleagues, can have difficulty communicating feelings and be somewhat reclusive, and who can be self-destructive, overindulgent, and extravagant.
Serious and Callous
Finally, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder also can be too giving, come across as too "high and mighty", and can have a hard time expressing feelings.
