Heisenberg, August, Dr. phil. o. .Professor der mittel- und neugriechischen Philologie an der Universität München,

a.o.Mitglied der Kgl. Bayer. Akademie der Wissenschaften, ev., München, Hohenzollernstr. 110/III.

The student from northern Germany wanted like all his classmates get to know southern Germany, in addition tempted me the hope to study the works of Richard Wagner and Arnold Böcklin at their origins. Via the recommendation of one of my teachers in Marburg I was fortunate to get admitted to the cirle of young friend of Michael Bernays, into his seminar which had a social extension in the academic literary club. With heartfelt thanks I remember the riches of ideas which Bernays was able to give to his few faithfuls, foremost his personal involvement in our studies. Fortunately I found in Rudolf Schöll a teacher from whom you could learn aside from much fine and hard work the strict scientific philological workmanship. At the bulletin board of the university Karl Krumbacher, privatdocent, a two-hour class Rhodische lovesongs . I think it was the lovesongs that primarily triggert my curiosity. The few listeners, three or four, soon got to know the young teacher. The middle-greek language, which I encountered here for the first time, caught strongly my interest. Soon teacher and students met not only during the lectures but also at other opportunities. , Krummbacher arranged aquaintences with young Greeks. At that time I had french conversation hours with an old lady, whose nephew I prepared for the Absolutorium. This way I also learned to speak modern Greek from a young greek friend who these days is bishop in Sparta.

After one year my decision was firm to stay in Bavaria. One semester in Leipzig, summer (18)90, on request of my relatives who were mightily concerned about my future confirmed my decision. After two more semesters in Munich I acquired the Bavarian citizenship and with luck passed the first state-exam.

Happy years followed of independent scientific work. In addition I opted for an internship of pedagogy at the Maximilians-Gymnasium as I was interested in teaching; also private lessons were no bother. Shortly after the state-exam a short study-trip took me to the libraries in Upper Italy all the way to Florence. My first position as teacher I got at the gymnasium in Landau in the Palatinate. However, already after one and a half years I was transferred back to Munich to the Maximilians-Gymnasium. The states-koncurse and the rigorosum were also passed and the scientific work took me more distinctly in the direction of byzantine history-writing. Once more a year of military service interrupted the straight path of the studies; I became a soldier at my home town Osnabrück in the east-frisian regiment No 7s. It was not easy to find time between services to correct the proofs of my Blemmydes-Edition which was published that time, but I served in the fields with as much fun and emendation. Also later on I was with my brave east-frisians always a joyous soldier. When I recently as Oberleutnant der Landwehr asked for my leave I did so with a heavy heart.

During my stay in Athens I had received the notice of my transfer from Lindau to the Luitplod-Gymnasium in Munich; but already two years later we movwed to Würzburg. There, as I had requested , I became a teacher at the Gymnasium simultaneously a privat docent for middle- and modern Greek Philology at the University. Eight years I lived in Würzburg 01-09, received some positive and found some faithful friends for life. Our son Erwin born in Munich March 10th 1900 was joined by his brother Werner on December 5th 1901. The time in Würzburg was difficult due to the double jobs. Of course I always enjoyed being a teacher. In that respectI I was better than many other men for whom the main interest was their scientific work and teaching was just a bother. This it was never for me. Even though I did suffer from the effects of narrow bureaucratic attitudes that were noticeable in Gymnasium Service, more so from the many worries the gymnasium teachers in Bavaria face due to their social standing, which I certainly can share. But the work with the students and the teaching itself was for me in the lower classes as much as in the upper classes a source of unmitigated satisfaction. My students and I always had a beautiful understanding, and not the slightest disapointment taints the memory of them whose attachment I nowadays appreciate. However, since I did not want to neglect the school and still prepare my lectures carefully, and yet continue to participate in scientific work my working hours had to be stretched way into the night. Thus it may be excused when I occasionally compared my fate with that of the happy philologists who could spend all their time and energy on their scientific studies. In spite of these difficulties progress was made. The edition of Akropolites was published (03); after that I started the trearment of Nikolaos Mesarites, a previously unknown writer from the twelveth century which I had discovered in the Ambrosisiana of Milan. On his Perse and other Problems I had already worked in the Analecta (01). The coup of Johannes Komnenos by Mesarites I published the year (07). Five years I spent on a different manuscript of this man, a description of the chuch built by Justinian but now completely disappeared of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. This script became the motivation to study the large P. of the Byzantine architecture and and paintings to get acquainted with its history and its precursers in the old christian art, further from the Church of the Holy Apostles of Justinias which led to her predecessor, a church by Constatin which led to the most famous church of old chritianity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A rigorous treatment of art-historical questions led on to questions about history of religion from the early growth of christianity. The two volumes "Grabeskirche und Apostelkirche" published in (08) attest of these far reaching studies.

At university of Würzburg the studies of middle and modern Greek were able to find support among the students. A small supply of books had been acquired, also a kind of seminary that was busy with work; the universiy decided to create a special position for this subject. Then, on december 12th 09 my former teacher Karl Krumbacher paased away and I was offered the chair as his sucessor; since the year 11 I am an associate(adjunct) member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.

The tasks expected from me are in clear view, in one word namely to maintain and continue the huge work that Karl Krumbacher, the founder of modern middle- and modern greek philolgy had started. In the center is the middle- and modern greek Seminar at our university which is not only a philologic historical school for young students but mainly a research institute. So far it is the only one of his kind in Europe especially since Krumbacher had donated his book collection to the university to make it an incomparable special library that receives considerable support from the state and the university. It needs some further expansion in the art-historical wing but is already yearlong visited by learned experts. My teaching is centered in the seminar; aside from this I try to bring those listeners from the fields of language and speech closer to art and history, and in particular I love to teach historical grammar. Prerequisites for independent work in Byzantine Philology is the familiarity with the monuments in the literary traditions, the greek manuscripts and the art of deciphering. Nowhere in Germany are the possibilities to study greek pal ographie are offered so plentifully as iin Munich where the library for court and state contains such wonderful treasures of greek manuscripts. The full riches of this collection is far from being exhausted and need yet be explored. The larger part of the historic documents are part of the byzantinian literature. Thus after Pregers death I took over the task to continue the catalogue of the greek manuscripts even though it will take several years.