William Michelsen: Tilblivelsen af Grundtvigs historiesyn

Abstract

William Michelsen: The Origin of Grundtvigs View of History.

By V. Grønbæk.

Dr. William Michelsen’s great work on the origin of Grundtvig’s view of history takes its place worthily in the series of outstanding investigations belonging to the most recent period of Grundtvigian research (Scharling, Høirup, Toldberg).

Its purpose is to explain some of the main features of Grundtvig’s view of history by explaining its genesis. Its field of research is limited to the three “Verdenskrøniker” (“World Chronicles”) of 1812, 1814 and 1817.

It was a happy idea on the part of the autor to investigate what historical works Grundtvig had read in the early years of his childhood at Udby. A series of books, mentioned by Grundtvig himself as having been read by him at that time, are examined with the surprising result that we find here “The Roots og Grundtvigs View of History” — which is the heading of the first part of the book. Dr. Michelsen has achieved a work of scholarship of lasting significance by demonstrating the influence which Grundtvig’s reading during his childhood had upon him as a historian. His view of history remains the Biblical one.

While in the first part of the book the author has sought to open a way into a hitherto unexplored territory, in the second part (“The Growth of Grundtvig’s View of History”) he enters into fields which have to some extent been investigated by other research students. Thus he describes Grundtvig’s relation to the Romantic view of history which he encounted in his youth (Steffens). His relation to Schelling and Fichte is also investigated. Finally the author comes to Herder, who, in his well-grounded opinion, is the German author who — apart from Luther — has left the deepest traces of his influence on Grundtvig’s view of history.