Antoine Meyer facts for kids
Antoine Meyer (1801–1857), also known as Antun or Tun Meyer, was a smart mathematician and poet. He was born in Luxembourg, but later became a Belgian citizen. Many people call him the father of Luxembourgish literature. He is famous for publishing the very first book written in the Luxembourgish language. This book was a collection of six poems called "E' Schrek ob de' lezeburger Parnassus" (A Step up the Luxembourg Parnassus).
Early Life and Studies
Antoine Meyer was born on May 31, 1801, in Luxembourg City. His father, Hubert Meyer, was a shoemaker. His family lived in the old part of the city, near the Place d'Armes.
Antoine was a very bright student. He finished his high school education with excellent results at the local Athénée. After that, he went to Liège to study mathematics from 1817 to 1823. To pay for his studies, he had to give private lessons to other students. He also helped out in the library.
After getting his doctorate, he spent another year studying in Paris. He attended the Collège de France and the Sorbonne. There, he met some of the most important mathematicians in Europe.
Teaching Career
Antoine Meyer was an excellent mathematics teacher. In 1826, he taught at the Collège royal in Echternach, Luxembourg. Two years later, in 1828, he moved to Breda in the Netherlands. He worked at the new Royal Military Academy there.
However, in 1830, the Belgians started a revolution against the Dutch. Because of this, Meyer had to leave the Netherlands. After facing many difficulties, he finally found a job in Belgium. He taught at a school in Louvain.
He also worked for a short time at the Institut Gaggia in Brussels in 1834. Later, he was offered a job at a military school. In 1838, he started teaching at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. By 1849, he became a professor of higher mathematics at the Université de Liège. He taught there until he passed away in 1857.
Because of historical changes, Meyer became a Belgian citizen in 1842. He received a lot of praise for his math work in Belgium. But his poems always showed his strong connection to Luxembourg.
His Poetry and Impact
Antoine Meyer published "E' Schrek ob de' Lezeburger Parnassus" in 1829. At first, not many people were excited about it. However, a few people strongly supported it. One of them was Félix Thyes, who was the first Luxembourger to publish a book in French.
Thyes said that Meyer was the first person to "rescue" the Luxembourgish language. He helped turn it into a new kind of literature. People in Luxembourg were surprised to hear that a famous mathematician had written poems in their own language.
The book has six poems:
- "Uen d'Christine" (To Christine) – a love poem.
- "D'Nuecht" (The Night) – a poem about the romantic subject of night.
- "Een Abléck an engem Wiertshaus zu Lëtzebuerg" (A Moment in a Luxembourg Inn) – a poem that paints a picture of real life.
- Three fables: "D'porzelains an d'ierde Schierbel" (The Shard of Porcelain and the Earthen Pot), "D'Spéngel an d'Nol" (The Pin and the Needle), and "D'Flou an de Pierdskrécher" (The Fly and the Horse Trough).
In his fables, Meyer used everyday objects as characters. This was different from Aesop or La Fontaine, who used animals. For example, in "D'Spéngel an d'Nol", a fancy needle tries to boss around a simple pin. This story shows how the French upper class failed to stop the French Revolution.
Meyer wrote three more poetry books. He also wrote a small book about spelling rules for the Luxembourgish language. Other poems by him appeared in newspapers. Meyer wanted to show that the Luxembourgish dialect was not "rough, poor, or wild," as some people thought.
Félix Thyes noted that Meyer showed a "noble pride" and a concern for poorer people. Today, Antoine Meyer is recognized for helping to make Luxembourgish an accepted language for literature.
Antoine Meyer passed away in Liège on April 29, 1857.
Published Works
- 1829: "E' Schrek ob de' lezeburger Parnassus". A collection of poems published in Luxembourg.
- 1832: "Jong vum Schrek op de Lezeburger Parnassus". A collection of poems published in Louvain.
- 1845: "Luxemburgische Gedichte und Fabeln". This book included his works along with poems by Heinrich Gloden. Published in Brussels.
- 1853: "Oilzegt-Kläng". A collection of poems published in Liège.
- 1854: "Règelbüchelchen vum lezeburger Orthoegraf". A book about the rules of Luxembourgish spelling. Published in Liège.
