Friedrich Nietzsche: The Philosopher Who Driven Himself Mad. Friedrich Nietzsche - biography, information, personal life Explanation of the concept of the Superman

Often the reason for outstanding achievements in philosophy and art is a difficult biography. Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the most significant philosophers of the second half of the 19th century, went through a difficult short but very fruitful life path. We will tell you about the milestones of his biography, about the most significant works and views of the thinker.

Childhood and origins

On October 15, 1844, in East Germany, in the small town of Recken, the future great thinker was born. Every biography, Nietzsche and Friedrich is no exception, begins with ancestors. And with this in the history of the philosopher, not everything is clear. There are versions that he comes from a Polish noble family named Nitsky, this was confirmed by Friedrich himself. But there are researchers who claim that the philosopher’s family had German roots and names. They suggest that Nietzsche simply invented the “Polish version” in order to give himself an aura of exclusivity and unusualness. It is known for sure that two generations of his ancestors were associated with the priesthood; on the part of both parents, Frederick’s grandfathers were Lutheran priests, just like his father. When Nietzsche was 5 years old, his father died of a serious mental illness, and his mother raised the boy. He had a tender affection for his mother, and he had a close and very complex relationship with his sister, which played a big role in his life. Already in early childhood, Friedrich demonstrated a desire to be different from everyone else, and was ready for various extravagant actions.

Education

At the age of 14, Frederick, who had not yet even begun to emerge, was sent to the famous Pfort gymnasium, where classical languages, ancient history and literature, as well as general education subjects were taught. Nietzsche was diligent in languages, but he was very bad at mathematics. It was at school that Friedrich developed a strong interest in music, philosophy, and ancient literature. He tries himself as a writer and reads a lot of German writers. After school, in 1862, Nietzsche went to study at the University of Bonn at the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. Since school, he felt a strong pull towards religious activities and even dreamed of becoming a pastor like his father. But during his student years his views changed greatly, and he became a militant atheist. In Bonn, Nietzsche’s relationships with his classmates did not work out, and he transferred to Leipzig. Here great success awaited him; while still studying, he was invited to work as a professor of Greek literature. Under the influence of his favorite teacher, the German philologist F. Richli, he agreed to this job. Nietzsche easily passed the exam for the title of Doctor of Philosophy and went to teach in Basel. But Friedrich did not feel satisfaction from his studies; the philological environment began to weigh on him.

Youth hobbies

In his youth, Friedrich Nietzsche, whose philosophy was just beginning to take shape, experienced two strong influences, even shocks. In 1868 he met R. Wagner. Friedrich had been fascinated by the composer’s music before, and the acquaintance made a strong impression on him. Two extraordinary personalities found a lot in common: both loved ancient Greek literature, both hated the social shackles that constrained the spirit. For three years, friendly relations were established between Nietzsche and Wagner, but later they began to cool and ceased completely after the philosopher published the book “Human, All Too Human.” The composer found in it obvious signs of the author's mental illness.

The second shock was associated with A. Schopenhauer’s book “The World as Will and Representation.” She changed Nietzsche's views on the world. The thinker highly valued Schopenhauer for his ability to tell the truth to his contemporaries, for his willingness to go against generally accepted ideas. It was his works that pushed Nietzsche to write philosophical works and to change his occupation - now he decided to become a philosopher.

During the Franco-Prussian War he worked as an orderly, and all the horrors from the battlefields, oddly enough, only strengthened him in his thoughts about the benefits and healing influence of such events on society.

Health

Since childhood, he was not in good health, he was very short-sighted and physically weak, perhaps this was the reason for the way his biography developed. Friedrich Nietzsche had poor heredity and a weak nervous system. At the age of 18, he began to experience attacks of severe headaches, nausea, insomnia, and experienced long periods of decreased tone and depressed mood. Later, neurosyphilis was added to this, contracted from a relationship with a prostitute. At the age of 30, his health began to decline sharply, he was almost blind, and experienced debilitating attacks of headaches. He was treated with opiates, which led to gastrointestinal problems. In 1879, Nietzsche retired due to health reasons; his benefits were paid by the university. And he began a permanent fight against disease. But it was precisely at this time that the teachings of Friedrich Nietzsche took shape and his philosophical productivity grew significantly.

Personal life

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, whose ideas changed 20th-century culture, was unhappy in his relationship. According to him, there were 4 women in his life, but only 2 of them (prostitutes) made him at least a little happy. From his early youth he had a sexual relationship with his sister Elizabeth, he even wanted to marry her. At age 15, Friedrich was sexually assaulted by an adult woman. All this radically influenced the thinker’s attitude towards women and his life. He always wanted to see a woman first and foremost as an interlocutor. Intelligence was more important to him than sexuality. At one time he was in love with Wagner's wife. He later became fascinated by psychotherapist Lou Salome, with whom his friend, writer Paul Ree, was also in love. For some time they even lived together in the same apartment. It was under the influence of his friendship with Lou that he would write the first part of his famous work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Twice in his life, Friedrich proposed marriage and was refused both times.

The most productive period of life

With his retirement, despite a painful illness, the philosopher enters the most productive era of his life. Friedrich Nietzsche, whose best books have become classics of world philosophy, writes 11 of his main works in 10 years. Over the course of 4 years, he wrote and published his most famous work, “Thus Spoke Zarathustra.” The book not only contained bright, unusual ideas, but also formally it was not typical for philosophical works. It intertwines reflections, myology, and poetry. Within two years after the publication of the first parts, Nietzsche became a popular thinker in Europe. Work on the latest book, “The Will to Power,” lasted several years, and included reflections from an earlier period. The work was published after the philosopher’s death thanks to the efforts of his sister.

last years of life

At the beginning of 1898, a sharply worsening illness led to the end of his philosophical biography. Friedrich Nietzsche saw a scene of a horse being beaten on the street, and this provoked a fit of madness in him. Doctors never found the exact cause of his illness. Most likely, a complex of prerequisites played a role here. The doctors could not offer treatment and sent Nietzsche to a psychiatric hospital in Basel. There he was kept in a room upholstered with soft cloth so that he could not harm himself. The doctors were able to bring the patient into a stable condition, that is, without violent attacks, and allowed him to be taken home. The mother looked after her son, trying to ease his suffering as much as possible. But she died a few months later, and Friedrich had an accident that completely immobilized him and made him unable to speak. Lately, the philosopher has been cared for by his sister. On August 25, 1900, after another stroke, Nietzsche died. He was only 55 years old; the philosopher was buried in a cemetery in his hometown next to his relatives.

Philosophical views of Nietzsche

The philosopher Nietzsche is known throughout the world for his nihilistic and radical views. He very sharply criticized modern European society, especially its Christian foundations. The thinker believed that since the times of Ancient Greece, which he considers as a certain ideal of civilization, there has been a collapse and degradation of the culture of the Old World. He formulates his own concept, later called the “Philosophy of Life”. This direction believes that human life is unique and unique. Each individual is valuable in his or her experience. And he considers the main property of life not reason or feelings, but will. Humanity is in constant struggle and only the strongest deserve to live. From here arises the idea of ​​the Superman - one of the central ones in Nietzsche's doctrine. Friedrich Nietzsche reflects on love, the meaning of life, truth, the role of religion and science.

Major works

The philosopher's legacy is small. His last works were published by his sister, who did not hesitate to edit the texts in accordance with her worldview. But these works were enough for Friedrich Nietzsche, whose works are included in the compulsory program on the history of philosophy at any university in the world, to become a true classic of world thought. The list of his best books includes, in addition to those already mentioned, the works “Beyond Good and Evil”, “Antichrist”, “The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music”, “On the Genealogy of Morality”.

Search for the meaning of life

Reflections on the meaning of life and the purpose of history are the basic themes of European philosophy; Friedrich Nietzsche could not stand aside from them. He speaks about the meaning of life in several of his works, completely denying it. He argues that Christianity imposes imaginary meanings and goals on people, essentially deceiving people. Life exists only in this world and it is dishonest to promise some kind of reward in the other world for moral behavior. Thus, Nietzsche says, religion manipulates a person, forces him to live for goals that are inorganic to human nature. In a world where “God is dead,” man himself is responsible for his own moral character and humanity. And this is the greatness of man, that he can “become a man” or remain an animal. The thinker also saw the meaning of life in the will to power; a person (man) must strive for victory, otherwise his existence is meaningless. Nietzsche saw the meaning of history in the education of the Superman; he does not yet exist and social evolution must lead to his appearance.

Superman concept

In his central work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche formulates the idea of ​​the Superman. This ideal person destroys all norms and foundations, he boldly seeks power over the world and other people, false sentiments and illusions are alien to him. The antipode of this supreme being is the “last man,” who, instead of boldly fighting stereotypes, chose the path of a comfortable, animal existence. According to Nietzsche, the modern world was planted with such “lasts”, so he saw in wars a blessing, purification and an opportunity for rebirth. was positively assessed by A. Hitler and accepted as an ideological justification for fascism. Although the philosopher himself did not even think about anything like that. Because of this, Nietzsche’s works and name were strictly prohibited in the USSR.

Quotes

The philosopher Nietzsche, whose quotes were spread throughout the world, knew how to speak succinctly and aphoristically. That is why many of his statements are so fond of being quoted by various speakers on any occasion. The philosopher’s most famous quotes about love were the words: “People who are incapable of either true love or strong friendship always rely on marriage,” “There is always a little madness in love..., but in madness there is always a little reason.” . He spoke very scathingly about the opposite sex: “If you go to a woman, take a whip.” His personal motto was: “Everything that doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”

The importance of Nietzsche's philosophy for culture

Today, from the works of which can be found in many works of modern philosophers, it no longer causes such fierce controversy and criticism as at the beginning of the 20th century. Then his theory became revolutionary and gave rise to many directions that existed in dialogue with Nietzsche. One could agree with him or argue with him, but he could no longer be ignored. The philosopher's ideas had a strong influence on culture and art. Impressed by the works of Nietzsche, for example, T. Mann wrote his “Doctor Faustus.” His direction “philosophy of life” gave the world such outstanding philosophers as V. Dilthey, A. Bergson, O. Spengler.

Bright people always arouse people's curiosity, and Friedrich Nietzsche did not escape this. Researchers are looking for interesting facts from his biography, and people read about them with pleasure. What was unusual about the life of a philosopher? For example, he was interested in music all his life and was a good pianist. And even when he lost his mind, he created musical opuses and improvised in the hospital lobby. In 1869, he renounced Prussian citizenship and lived the rest of his life without belonging to any state.

Friedrich Nietzsche is a great German philosopher and writer. His outer life is very uneventful, but his inner life is an amazing emotional drama, told with touching lyricism. Nietzsche's entire rich literary heritage can be considered as artistic autobiography. However, great critical caution is required here. Individual paradoxes of Friedrich Nietzsche, snatched from the general context of his worldview and divorced from the lyrical-psychological soil that nurtured them, served as a considerable source of temptation and embarrassment for unprepared people. The true meaning of Nietzsche's philosophy will become clear only to those who patiently follow all the stages of his bizarre and painful spiritual growth.

Friedrich Nietzsche. Photo taken in Basel ca. 1875

Friedrich Nietzsche was born on October 15, 1844 in the poor village of Röcken on the border of Prussia and Saxony and was the son of a Lutheran pastor. His father died at a young age from a serious mental illness, when Nietzsche was a child. In his adolescence and early youth, Nietzsche willingly prepared for the pastorate. He received his secondary education at the famous Naumburg Pforte school, where he was enrolled at the age of 14. Nietzsche was a good student and did not experience any philosophical anxieties or doubts on the gymnasium bench. He had a tender affection for his family and always looked forward to the possibility of vacation with extreme impatience. In 1862, Friedrich entered the University of Bonn and immediately specialized in classical philology. As a freshman, he made an unsuccessful attempt to preach to the students the improvement and purification of traditional corporate life, and after that he always kept aloof from the comrade masses. A little later, Nietzsche moved to the University of Leipzig, where he soon began to feel more comfortable.

In Leipzig, among diligent, but far from inspired studies of ancient languages, he accidentally read Schopenhauer’s book “The World as Will and Idea,” and this accident for a long time predetermined the main direction of his mental interests. Schopenhauer became Nietzsche's first philosophical love, who was delighted with his constant readiness to go against all official trends and fearlessly tell his contemporaries the most bitter truth. Nietzsche began to highly value Schopenhauer's penetrating understanding of world-historical tragedy and the unshakable heroism of questioning thought.

The philological works of Nietzsche's student attracted the attention of foreign scientists, and in 1868, before receiving a university diploma, the University of Basel offered him a professorship in the department of Greek literature. At the insistence of his teacher, the famous scientist Ritschl, Nietzsche accepted this invitation. After this, the doctoral exam was just a pleasant formality for him. Having settled in Basel, Nietzsche soon, to his great joy, met and became close to the famous composer Richard Wagner, and this friendship marked a very important step in the spiritual evolution of Friedrich Nietzsche. “In everything that exists, Wagner noticed a single world life - with him everything speaks and nothing is silent,” - this is how Nietzsche characterizes the philosophical merit of his new inspirer.

Friedrich Nietzsche. Drawing by H. Olde, 1899

Nietzsche, who spent the last 10 years of his life suffering from paralytic dementia, died on August 25, 1900 in Weimar. His sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche established a rich and interesting “Friedrich Nietzsche Museum” in this city.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), German philosopher and poet. Born in the village of Röcken near Lützen (Saxony) on October 15, 1844. His father and both grandfathers were Lutheran ministers. The boy was named Friedrich Wilhelm in honor of the reigning king of Prussia. After the death of his father in 1849, he was brought up in Naumburg am Saale in a house where his younger sister, mother, grandmother and two unmarried aunts lived. Nietzsche later attended the famous old boarding school Pfort, and then studied at the universities of Bonn and Leipzig, where he delved into the Greek and Latin classics. In an old bookshop in Leipzig, he one day accidentally discovered the book “The World as Will and Representation” by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, which made a strong impression on him and influenced his further work.

In 1869, Nietzsche, who had already published several scientific articles but did not yet have a doctorate, was invited to take the chair of classical philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland. Having become a professor, Nietzsche also received Swiss citizenship; however, during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, he enlisted in the Prussian army as a private orderly. Having seriously undermined his health, he soon returned to Basel, where he resumed teaching. He became a close friend of the composer Wagner, who then lived in Tribschen.

Books (28)

Full composition of writings. In 13 volumes. Volume 1. Part 1

The birth of tragedy. From the heritage of 1869-1873.

The first half volume of the first volume of the complete works of F. Nietzsche includes the book “The Birth of Tragedy” (in a new edition of the translation by G. Rachinsky), as well as articles from the heritage of 1869-1873, thematically related mainly to antiquity, ancient Greek philosophy, mythology, music , literature and politics.

Full composition of writings. In 13 volumes. Volume 1. Part 2

Untimely thoughts. From the heritage (works of 1872-1873).

The second volume of the first volume of the complete works of the German thinker F. Nietzsche includes all four of his “Untimely Reflections,” as well as lectures “On the Future of Our Educational Institutions” and other works from the heritage of 1872-1873, devoted to problems of knowledge and culture.

For many readers of Nietzsche, it may be a discovery not only the very range of ideas revealed in these texts, but also how relevant they, with all their polemical sharpness, are in today's world.

Three of the four “Untimely Reflections” are presented in new translations, some works are published in Russian for the first time, previously published translations have been verified with the original and significantly edited.

Full composition of writings. In 13 volumes. Volume 3

The third volume of the complete works of the German thinker F. Nietzsche includes his key works “Dawn” and “The Gay Science”, as well as poems from the cycle “Idylls of Messina”.

The previously published translations by V. Bakusev (“Morning Dawn”) and K. Svasyan (“The Gay Science”) are presented in a new edition.

Full composition of writings. In 13 volumes. Volume 9

Drafts and sketches 1880-1882.

The ninth volume of the complete works of F. Nietzsche contains drafts and other notes relating to the period 1880-1882.

First of all, these are fragments related to the philosopher’s work on “Dawn” and “The Gay Science.” Among the drafts and notes of 1881 are passages that are extremely important for understanding Nietzsche’s philosophy, devoted to the eternal return and problems of knowledge.

Part of the volume consists of notes made by Nietzsche while reading the works of Descartes and Spinoza (as presented by K. Fisher), B. Pascal, St. Mill, G. Spencer, R. W. Emerson, as well as works of art by French authors (especially Stendhal and Countess de Remusat).

Full composition of writings. In 13 volumes. Volume 11

Drafts and sketches 1884-1885.

The eleventh volume of the complete works of F. Nietzsche contains drafts and other notes relating to the period 1884-1885.

First of all, these are fragments related to Nietzsche’s work on the fourth (final) book of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and the new edition of Human, All Too Human, as well as on Beyond Good and Evil and a collection of poems, subsequently published not published.

Another group consists of notes made while reading works of art (A. de Custine, O. de Balzac, the Goncourt brothers, E. Renan, Stendhal, P. Merimee, Goethe and many others) and scientific works (G. Teichmüller, E. von Hartmann, P. Deyssen, G. Oldenberg).

The entries on Wagner, as well as Nietzsche's central themes of the will to power and the eternal return, deserve special mention.

Friedrich Nietzsche's work, Antichrist, was created in 1888, an extremely fruitful year for the German philosopher. In it, he addresses those who are capable of being “honest in intellectual matters to the point of cruelty,” for only such readers are able to bear the “seriousness and passion” with which Nietzsche smashes Christian values ​​and overthrows the very idea of ​​Christianity.

Genealogy of morality

The genealogy of morality was conceived by Friedrich Nietzsche as an appendix to his essay “Beyond Good and Evil,” published in 1886.

The external reason for writing “The Genealogy of Morals” was the wave of misunderstandings that befell the author in connection with his previous work, in which Nietzsche tried to formulate the principles of a new moral behavior that remained moral, even without being associated with the supernatural.

In “The Genealogy of Morals,” Nietzsche, with his characteristic paradoxical thought and depth of psychological analysis, examines the history of the origin of prejudices associated with the “God-given nature” of morality as such.

David Strauss, confessor and writer

This essay is the first in a series of cultural critical essays conceived by Nietzsche immediately after the publication of “The Birth of Tragedy,” united under the general title “Untimely Reflections.”

Nietzsche's original plan covers twenty themes or, more precisely, twenty variations on a single cultural critical theme. Over time, this plan was either reduced (to thirteen) or increased (to twenty-four). Of the planned series, only four essays were completed: “David Strauss, confessor and writer,” “On the benefits and harms of history for life,” “Schopenhauer as an educator,” “Richard Wagner in Bayreuth.”

Evil Wisdom. Aphorisms and sayings

The book includes aphorisms and sayings of Friedrich Nietzsche.

“...A sublime person, seeing the sublime, becomes free, confident, broad, calm, joyful, but the absolutely beautiful shocks him with its appearance and knocks him off his feet: in front of it he denies himself...” (Nietzsche)

Untimely reflections

Friedrich Nietzsche's grandiose plan - a series of twenty culturally critical essays under the general title "Untimely Reflections" - was eventually realized by him in the form of four essays: "David Strauss, Confessor and Writer", "On the Benefits and Harms of History for Life", "Richard Wagner in Bayreuth", "Schopenhauer as an educator".

This is one of Nietzsche’s first works, which determined his further development in the spirit of irrationalism and reflected the philosopher’s two passionate intellectual passions: the image of Wagner and the philosophy of Schopenhauer.

The book became a bold statement by the young Nietzsche for his own, original - sometimes scandalous - and deepest understanding of various philosophical and aesthetic topics.

Nietzsche: Pro et contra

The purpose of the collection is to present the Russian image of Nietzsche as he was perceived and entered into the Russian cultural tradition at the dawn of the 20th century.

The book consists of essays by venerable Russian philosophers and writers at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries, which have become classics of Russian Nietzsche studies. The anthology contains various, sometimes opposing, approaches, assessments and interpretations of the work of the German philosopher.

The birth of tragedy from the spirit of music

"... but those who would see in this coincidence the presence of a contradiction between patriotic excitement and aesthetic sybaritism, between manly seriousness and cheerful play would fall into error; on the contrary, upon actually reading this book it will become amazingly clear to them how strictly German The problem we are dealing with here is one that we have placed precisely at the center of German hopes, as the point of apogee and turning point..."

In this work, Nietzsche develops an impressive picture of the continuing impact on thinking, and on humanity in general, of the world of the Greek gods.

Two of them - Apollo and Dionysus, are for Nietzsche the personification of the irreconcilable opposition of two principles - Apollonian and Dionysian. The first of them is a world of dreams, beauty, perfection, but above all orderliness. The Dionysian is barbaric, returning back to nature, inherent in the individual who feels like a work of art, accordingly violating any measure.

Collection of books

Ecce Homo, how to become yourself
Antichrist. A curse on Christianity
Fun Science
The will to power. Experience of revaluation of all values
Evil wisdom (Aphorisms and sayings)
Selected Poems
Towards a genealogy of morality
Case Wagner
Untimely Reflections - "David Strauss, Confessor and Writer"
Untimely reflections - “On the benefits and harms of history for life”
Untimely Reflections - "Richard Wagner in Bayreuth"
Untimely Reflections - "Schopenhauer as Educator"
About the future of our educational institutions
Songs of Zarathustra
Beyond good and evil
The Birth of Tragedy, or Hellenism and Pessimism
Mixed opinions and sayings
The Wanderer and his shadow
Twilight of idols, or how they philosophize with a hammer
Thus spoke Zarathustra
Morning dawn, or the thought of moral prejudices
Human, all too human

Mixed opinions and sayings

Every person striving to understand the world sooner or later turns to the works of Friedrich Nietzsche.

This book contains statements of the great German thinker. They force you to look in a new way at what has long seemed known and beyond doubt.

Works in 2 volumes. Volume 1

Works in 2 volumes. Volume 2

A book by one of the greatest representatives of German existentialism, Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche's paradoxical logic and characteristic set of expressive means, requiring close study, lead the thoughtful reader to the borderline experience of human existence.

Friedrich Nietzsche's two-volume work was originally planned for the Philosophical Heritage Library, but "philosophical" discussions around the word "heritage" pushed Nietzsche out of the Library - he now finds his rightful place in it.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche). Born 15 October 1844 in Röcken, German Confederation - died 25 August 1900 in Weimar, German Empire. German thinker, classical philologist, composer, poet, creator of an original philosophical doctrine, which is emphatically non-academic in nature and partly for this reason is widespread, going far beyond the scientific and philosophical community.

Nietzsche's fundamental concept includes special criteria for assessing reality, which called into question the basic principles of existing forms of morality, religion, culture and socio-political relations and, subsequently, were reflected in the philosophy of life. Being presented in an aphoristic manner, most of Nietzsche's works do not lend themselves to unambiguous interpretation and cause much controversy.

According to the US Library of Congress, Nietzsche is one of the ten most studied personalities in history.

Nietzsche is usually considered one of the philosophers of Germany. The modern unified national state called Germany did not yet exist at the time of his birth, but there was a union of German states, and Nietzsche was a citizen of one of them, at that time Prussia. When Nietzsche received a professorship at the University of Basel, he applied to have his Prussian citizenship revoked. The official response confirming the revocation of citizenship came in the form of a document dated April 17, 1869. Until the end of his life, Nietzsche remained officially stateless.

According to popular belief, Nietzsche's ancestors were Polish. Until the end of his life, Nietzsche himself confirmed this circumstance. In 1888 he wrote: “My ancestors were Polish nobles (Nitsky)”. In one of his statements, Nietzsche is even more affirmative in relation to his Polish origin: “I am a purebred Polish nobleman, without a single drop of dirty blood, of course, without German blood.” On another occasion, Nietzsche stated: “Germany is a great nation only because so much Polish blood flows in the veins of its people... I am proud of my Polish origins”. In one of his letters he testifies: “I was brought up to trace the origin of my blood and name to the Polish nobles, who were called Nietzky, and who abandoned their home and title about a hundred years ago, yielding as a result to the intolerable pressure - they were Protestants.”. Nietzsche believed that his surname could be Germanized.

Most scholars dispute Nietzsche's views on his family's origins. Hans von Müller refuted the pedigree put forward by Nietzsche's sister in favor of noble Polish origin. Max Oehler, curator of the Nietzsche archive in Weimar, claimed that all of Nietzsche's ancestors had German names, even the families of his wives. Oehler claims that Nietzsche came from a long line of German Lutheran clergy on both sides of his family, and modern scholars consider Nietzsche's claims about his Polish origins to be "pure fiction". Colley and Montinari, editors of a collection of Nietzsche's letters, characterize Nietzsche's claims as "baseless" and "erroneous opinion." The surname Nietzsche itself is not Polish, but is common throughout central Germany in this and related forms, such as Nitsche and Nitzke. The surname comes from the name Nikolai, abbreviated Nik, under the influence of the Slavic name Nitz, first acquired the form Nitsche, and then Nietzsche.

It's unknown why Nietzsche wanted to be considered a member of a noble Polish family. According to biographer R. J. Hollingdale, Nietzsche's claims about his Polish origins may have been part of his "campaign against Germany".

Nietzsche studied music from the age of 6, when his mother gave him a piano, and at the age of 10 he already tried to compose. He continued to play music throughout his school and college years. The main influences on Nietzsche's early musical development were Viennese classics and romanticism (Beethoven, Schumann, etc.).

Nietzsche composed a lot in 1862-1865 - piano pieces, vocal lyrics. At this time, he worked, in particular, on the symphonic poem “Ermanarich” (1862), which was only partially completed, in the form of a piano fantasy. Among the songs Nietzsche composed during these years: “Spell” to the words of the poem of the same name by A. S. Pushkin; four songs based on poems by S. Petyofi; “From the Times of Youth” to poems by F. Rückert and “A Stream Flows” to poems by K. Grot; “The Storm”, “Better and Better” and “Child before the Extinguished Candle”, poems by A. von Chamisso.

Among Nietzsche's later works are “Echoes of New Year's Eve” (originally written for violin and piano, revised for piano duet, 1871) and “Manfred. Meditation" (piano duet, 1872). The first of these works was criticized by R. Wagner, and the second by Hans von Bülow. Suppressed by the authority of von Bülow, after this Nietzsche practically stopped making music. His last composition was “Hymn to Friendship” (1874), which much later, in 1882, he reworked into a song for voice and piano, borrowing the poem “Hymn of Life” by his new friend Lou Andreas von Salome (and a few years later Peter Gast wrote arrangement for choir and orchestra).

In October 1862, Nietzsche went to the University of Bonn, where he began to study theology and philology. He quickly became disillusioned with student life and, having tried to influence his comrades, found himself misunderstood and rejected by them. This was one of the reasons for his quick move to the University of Leipzig, following his mentor Professor Friedrich Ritschl. However, studying philology in a new place did not bring Nietzsche satisfaction, even despite his brilliant success in this matter: already at the age of 24, while still a student, he was invited to the position of professor of classical philology at the University of Basel - an unprecedented case in the history of European universities .

Nietzsche was unable to take part in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870: at the beginning of his professorial career, he demonstratively renounced Prussian citizenship, and the authorities of neutral Switzerland prohibited him from direct participation in battles, allowing him only to serve as an orderly. While accompanying a carriage with wounded, he contracted dysentery and diphtheria.

On November 8, 1868, Nietzsche met Richard Wagner. It differed sharply from the philological environment that was familiar and already burdensome to Nietzsche and made an extremely strong impression on the philosopher. They were united by spiritual unity: from a mutual passion for the art of the ancient Greeks and love for the work of Schopenhauer to the aspirations of reorganizing the world and reviving the spirit of the nation.

In May 1869, he visited Wagner in Tribschen, becoming practically a member of the family. However, their friendship did not last long: only about three years until 1872, when Wagner moved to Bayreuth and their relationship began to cool. Nietzsche could not accept the changes that arose in him, which were expressed, in his opinion, in betrayal of their common ideals, pandering to the interests of the public, and, ultimately, in the adoption of Christianity. The final break was marked by Wagner’s public assessment of Nietzsche’s book “Human, All Too Human” as “sad evidence of the illness” of its author.

The change in Nietzsche’s attitude towards Wagner was marked by the book “The Case of Wagner” (Der Fall Wagner), 1888, where the author expresses his sympathy for the work of Bizet.

Nietzsche never enjoyed good health. Already at the age of 18, he began to experience severe headaches, and by the age of 30 he experienced a sharp deterioration in his health. He was almost blind, had unbearable headaches, which he treated with opiates, and stomach problems. On May 2, 1879, he left teaching at the university, receiving a pension with an annual salary of 3,000 francs. His subsequent life became a struggle against illness, despite which he wrote his works. “Morning Dawn” was published in July 1881, and with it began a new stage in Nietzsche’s work - the stage of the most fruitful work and significant ideas.

At the end of 1882, Nietzsche traveled to Rome, where he met Lou Salome, who left a significant mark on his life. From the first seconds, Nietzsche was captivated by her flexible mind and incredible charm. He found in her a sensitive listener, she, in turn, was shocked by the fervor of his thoughts. He proposed to her, but she refused, offering her friendship in return. After some time, together with their mutual friend Paul Ree, they organize a kind of union, living under the same roof and discussing the advanced ideas of philosophers. But after a few years it was destined to fall apart: Elisabeth, Nietzsche’s sister, was dissatisfied with Lou’s influence on her brother and resolved this problem in her own way by writing a rude letter to her. As a result of the ensuing quarrel, Nietzsche and Salomé separated forever.

Nietzsche will soon write the first part of his key work "Thus spoke Zarathustra", which reveals the influence of Lou and her “ideal friendship.” In April 1884, the second and third parts of the book were published simultaneously, and in 1885, Nietzsche published the fourth and last with his own money in the amount of only 40 copies and distributed some of them among close friends, including Helena von Druskowitz.

The final stage of Nietzsche's work is both a stage of writing works that draw a line under his philosophy, and of misunderstanding, both on the part of the general public and close friends. Popularity came to him only in the late 1880s.

Being a philologist by training, Nietzsche paid great attention to the style of conducting and presenting his philosophy, gaining fame as an outstanding stylist. Nietzsche's philosophy is not organized into a system, the will to which he considered a lack of honesty. The most significant form of his philosophy are aphorisms, expressing the imprinted movement of the author’s state and thoughts, which are in eternal formation. The reasons for this style are not clearly identified. On the one hand, such a presentation is associated with Nietzsche’s desire to spend a long part of his time walking, which deprived him of the opportunity to consistently take notes of his thoughts. On the other hand, the philosopher’s illness also imposed its limitations, which did not allow him to look at white sheets of paper for a long time without pain in his eyes. Nevertheless, the aphorism of the letter should also be attributed (in the spirit of Nietzsche’s own philosophy with its cherished amor fati, otherwise love for fate) to the conscious choice of the philosopher, considering it the result of the development of his beliefs.

An aphorism as its own commentary unfolds only when the reader is involved in a constant reconstruction of meaning that goes far beyond the context of a single aphorism. This movement of meaning can never end, more adequately reproducing the experience of life. Life, so open in thought, turns out to be proven by the very fact of reading an aphorism that is outwardly unproven.

In his philosophy, Nietzsche developed a new attitude to reality, built on the metaphysics of “being of becoming,” rather than givenness and immutability. Within the framework of such a view, truth as the correspondence of ideas to reality can no longer be considered the ontological basis of the world, but becomes only a private value. The values ​​that come to the forefront of consideration are generally assessed by their correspondence to the tasks of life: healthy ones glorify and strengthen life, while decadent ones represent disease and decay. Every sign is already a sign of powerlessness and impoverishment of life, which in its fullness is always an event. Uncovering the meaning behind a symptom reveals the source of the decline. From this position, Nietzsche makes an attempt to reassess values ​​that are still uncritically taken for granted.

Nietzsche saw the source of a healthy culture in the dichotomy of two principles: Dionysian and Apollonian. The first personifies the unbridled, fatal, intoxicating passion of life coming from the very depths of nature, returning a person to immediate world harmony and unity of everything with everything; the second, Apollonian, envelops life in the “beautiful appearance of dream worlds,” allowing one to put up with it. Mutually overcoming each other, the Dionysian and Apollonian develop in strict correlation. Within the framework of art, the collision of these principles leads to the birth of tragedy. Observing the development of the culture of Ancient Greece, Nietzsche focused on the figure. He asserted the possibility of comprehending and even correcting life through the dictatorship of reason. Thus, Dionysus found himself expelled from culture, and Apollo degenerated into logical schematism. This complete forced distortion is the source of the crisis of modern Nietzschean culture, which turned out to be bloodless and devoid, in particular, of myths.

One of the most striking symbols captured and considered by Nietzsche’s philosophy was the so-called death of God. It marks a loss of trust in the supersensible foundations of value orientations, i.e. nihilism manifested in Western European philosophy and culture. This process, according to Nietzsche, comes from the very spirit of Christian teaching, which gives preference to the other world, and is therefore unhealthy.

Symbol of Nietzsche's philosophy - superman. According to him, the superman is what needs to be achieved, while man is the bridge between the animal and the superman. The superman must look at man in the same way as a man looks at an animal, that is, with contempt.

Nietzsche's creative activity ended at the beginning of 1889 due to clouding of his mind. It occurred after a seizure, when the owner beat the horse in front of Nietzsche. There are several versions explaining the cause of the disease. Among them are bad heredity (Nietzsche’s father suffered from mental illness at the end of his life); possible disease with neurosyphilis, which provoked madness. Soon the philosopher was placed in a Basel psychiatric hospital by his friend, professor of theology, Frans Overbeck, where he remained until March 1890, when Nietzsche's mother took him to her home in Naumburg.

After the death of his mother, Friedrich can neither move nor speak: he is struck by apoplexy. Thus, the illness did not retreat from the philosopher one step until his death: until August 25, 1900. He was buried in the ancient Recken church, dating from the first half of the 12th century. His relatives are buried next to him.

Major works of Nietzsche:

"The Birth of Tragedy, or Hellenism and Pessimism" (Die Geburt der Tragödie, 1872)
"Untimely Reflections" (Unzeitgemässe Betrachtungen, 1872-1876)
"David Strauss as Confessor and Writer" (David Strauss: der Bekenner und der Schriftsteller, 1873)
“On the benefits and harms of history for life” (Vom Nutzen und Nachtheil der Historie für das Leben, 1874)
3. “Schopenhauer as an educator” (Schopenhauer als Erzieher, 1874)
4. “Richard Wagner in Bayreuth” (Richard Wagner in Bayreuth, 1876)
“Human, all too human. A Book for Free Minds" (Menschliches, Allzumenschliches, 1878). With two additions: “Mixed Opinions and Sayings” (Vermischte Meinungen und Sprüche, 1879)
"The Wanderer and His Shadow" (Der Wanderer und sein Schatten, 1880)
"Morning Dawn, or Thoughts on Moral Prejudice" (Morgenröte, 1881)
"The Gay Science" (Die fröhliche Wissenschaft, 1882, 1887)
“Thus spoke Zarathustra. A book for everyone and no one" (Also sprach Zarathustra, 1883-1887)
“Beyond good and evil. Prelude to the Philosophy of the Future" (Jenseits von Gut und Böse, 1886)
“Toward the genealogy of morality. Polemical essay" (Zur Genealogie der Moral, 1887)
"The Case of Wagner" (Der Fall Wagner, 1888)
“The Twilight of the Idols, or How One Philosophizes with a Hammer” (Götzen-Dämmerung, 1888), also known as “The Fall of the Idols, or How One Can Philosophize with a Hammer”
"Antichrist. A curse on Christianity" (Der Antichrist, 1888)
“Ecce Homo. How they become themselves" (Ecce Homo, 1888)
“The Will to Power” (Der Wille zur Macht, 1886-1888, 1st ed. 1901, 2nd ed. 1906), a book compiled from Nietzsche’s notes by the editors E. Förster-Nietzsche and P. Gast. As M. Montinari proved, although Nietzsche planned to write the book “The Will to Power. The experience of revaluing all values" (Der Wille zur Macht - Versuch einer Umwertung aller Werte), which is mentioned at the end of the work "On the Genealogy of Morals", but abandoned this idea, and the drafts served as material for the books "Twilight of the Idols" and "Antichrist" (both written in 1888).

Sources(books, films, pro-iz-ve-de-ni-ya, etc.) with quotes from Friedrich Nietzsche

about the author

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (German Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, IPA: [?f?i?d??? ?v?lh?lm ?ni?t??]; October 15, 1844 (18441015), Röcken , Prussia - August 25, 1900, Weimar, Germany) - German philosopher, poet, composer, cultural critic, representative of irrationalism. He sharply criticized the religion, culture and morality of his time and developed his own ethical theory. Nietzsche was a literary rather than an academic philosopher, and his writings are aphoristic in nature. Nietzsche's philosophy had a great influence on the formation of existentialism and postmodernism, and also became very popular in literary and artistic circles. The interpretation of his works is quite difficult and still causes a lot of controversy.

Born in Röcken (near Leipzig, eastern Germany), the son of Lutheran pastor Carl Ludwig Nietzsche (1813-1849). While studying at the gymnasium, he showed significant abilities in philology and music. In 1864-69, Nietzsche studied theology and classical philology at the Universities of Bonn and Leipzig. During the same period, he became acquainted with the works of Schopenhauer and became a fan of his philosophy. Nietzsche's development was also favorably influenced by his friendship with Richard Wagner, which lasted for many years. At the age of 23, he was drafted into the Prussian army and enlisted in the horse artillery, but was demobilized after being injured. Three years later, he would enthusiastically accept the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and volunteer to go to the front.

Nietzsche was a brilliant student and gained an excellent reputation in scientific circles. Thanks to this, he already received the position of professor of classical philology at the University of Basel in 1869 (at the age of only 25 years). He worked there for about 10 years, despite numerous illnesses. The question of Nietzsche's citizenship still causes sharp controversy. According to some sources, he remained stateless after renouncing his Prussian citizenship in 1869; however, other sources state that Nietzsche became a Swiss citizen.