Dietrich von Hildebrand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dietrich von Hildebrand
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| Born |
Dietrich Richard Alfred von Hildebrand
12 October 1889 |
| Died | 26 January 1977 (aged 87) New Rochelle, New York, US
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| Alma mater | University of Munich University of Göttingen |
| Spouse(s) |
Margarete Denck
(m. 1912; died 1957)Alice M. Jourdain
(m. 1959) |
| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
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Dietrich Richard Alfred von Hildebrand (born October 12, 1889 – died January 26, 1977) was a German Catholic philosopher and religious writer. He was known for his strong opposition to Nazism before and during World War II.
Some important leaders in the Catholic Church admired his work. Pope Pius XII called him "the twentieth-century Doctor of the Church." Pope John Paul II said he was "one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Benedict XVI also respected him greatly, saying Hildebrand's name would be "most prominent" in the history of the Catholic Church in the 20th century.
Dietrich von Hildebrand's Life Story
Dietrich von Hildebrand was born and grew up in Florence, Italy. His family was German. His father, Adolf von Hildebrand, was a famous sculptor. Dietrich was taught at home by private teachers. Even though his family was not religious, he felt a strong connection to beauty, important values, and sacred things from a young age.
When he was 15, he went to Munich for school. Two years later, he joined the University of Munich. There, he met students who followed the philosopher Edmund Husserl. Through this group, he met Max Scheler. Scheler's ideas, and his description of St. Francis of Assisi, led Hildebrand to become Catholic in 1914. In 1909, he studied at the University of Göttingen. He earned his philosophy doctorate under Husserl and Adolf Reinach. He later said Reinach helped shape his own philosophical ideas.
In 1912, he married Margarete Denck. They had one child, Franz. In 1914, he and his wife became members of the Catholic Church. When World War I started, Hildebrand was drafted to help as a medical assistant in Munich.
His first book, The Nature of Moral Action, was published in 1916. After the war, in 1918, he started teaching at the University of Munich. He became an assistant professor there in 1924. By then, he had published another book, Morality and the Knowledge of Moral Values (1921).
Standing Up to Nazism
Hildebrand was a strong critic of National Socialism from as early as 1921. He believed it was against Christian values and true philosophy. During the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, he had to leave Munich for a short time to stay safe.
When Hitler took power in 1933, Hildebrand fled Germany. He first went to Italy, then to Vienna, Austria. There, with help from the Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, he started an anti-Nazi newspaper called Der Christliche Ständestaat ("The Christian Corporative State"). Because of this, the Nazis sentenced him to death in absentia (meaning without him being there).
In 1938, Hitler took over Austria, and Hildebrand had to flee again. He was one of the people the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) wanted most. He spent 11 months in Switzerland. Then he moved to Fiac in France, where he taught at the Catholic University of Toulouse. When the Nazis invaded France in 1940, he went into hiding. With help from brave French people and an American journalist, he escaped to Portugal with his family. From there, they traveled by ship to Brazil and then to New York City, arriving in 1940.
In New York, he taught philosophy at Fordham University. He guided many students, including the Catholic writer and professor Ronda Chervin.
Later Life and Family
In 1957, his first wife, Margarete, passed away after 45 years of marriage. In 1959, he married Alice M. Jourdain. She was also a philosopher and theologian, and had been his student at Fordham University.
Hildebrand stopped teaching in 1960. He spent his remaining years writing many books in German and English. He spoke out against some of the changes that happened after the Second Vatican Council, especially new ways of celebrating Mass. He supported the traditional Mass. He was a founder of Una Voce America. However, his work on personal freedom also helped prepare for some ideas in the Second Vatican Council. He always believed the Council's teachings should be understood as part of the Catholic Church's long history.
Dietrich von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York in 1977, after a long illness.
Dietrich von Hildebrand's Main Ideas
Dietrich von Hildebrand wrote many books on different topics like ethics (what is right and wrong), aesthetics (the study of beauty), and theology (the study of God). He was known for his deep thinking about how we experience the world and make choices.
Understanding Reality (Realist Phenomenology)
Hildebrand believed that when we experience things, we can understand them directly as they are. This idea is called "realist phenomenology." It means we try to see things clearly, without letting our own ideas or theories change what we see.
He thought that we can directly understand the "essence" of things. For example, we can understand "what it is to be a triangle" or "what it is to be justice." This method helps us understand people, art, and communities. He believed that real things appear to us with their own meaning, and our minds receive that meaning.
Hildebrand also thought that knowing isn't just about what's useful. It's about connecting with different beings through contemplation. Contemplation means looking deeply at something, like a beautiful artwork, a friend, or God, and finding joy in that connection. He believed people can go beyond their own thoughts and feelings to connect with others and care about them for their own sake.
Why We Act (Categories of Motivation)
Hildebrand spent a lot of time studying ethics, which is about moral choices. He explained that people are motivated to act in three main ways:
- What makes us happy: We might do something because it simply feels good or is pleasing to us personally.
- What is good for people: We might do something because it helps us grow or meets our needs as human beings.
- What is important in itself (Values): We might do something because it is truly good or important, regardless of how it affects us. For example, we might act with justice or generosity because these actions are good in themselves.
Hildebrand believed that we need to understand these "values" directly. He described different kinds of values, such as:
- Moral values: like being fair or kind.
- Intellectual values: like the importance of being smart or creative.
- Aesthetic values: like beauty and elegance.
Each value has its own importance and asks for a specific response from us. For example, beauty might call for admiration, while justice might call for action.
The Importance of Feelings (The Heart)
Hildebrand argued that some feelings are more than just physical reactions. He called them "personal acts" or "spiritual acts." These are feelings that come from understanding something important, like love, respect, gratitude, or disgust.
He believed that many of these feelings are responses to values. For example, when we see something truly beautiful, we might feel awe. When we see someone act kindly, we might feel gratitude. He said that a person is truly good when they respond to valuable things with the right feelings. It's not enough to just do the right thing or believe the right things; we also need to have the right feelings in our hearts.
He explained that while we can't force ourselves to feel certain emotions, we can encourage good feelings by choosing to accept them and by rejecting bad ones. He also explored how these feelings are important in our Christian lives, especially when thinking about the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Becoming More Like Christ (Transformation in Christ)
In his book Transformation in Christ, Dietrich von Hildebrand wrote about how Christians can grow spiritually and become more holy. He explained that the goal of being a Christian isn't just to follow rules. It's about changing from the inside and building a deep, personal relationship with God.
He stressed how important it is to develop good qualities like humility (being modest), faith (trusting in God), hope, and love. He also talked about overcoming things that stop us from growing spiritually.
Throughout the book, Hildebrand used teachings from the Bible, writings from saints, and his own experiences to share ideas about spiritual life. He emphasized the need for prayer, quiet thinking, and looking at ourselves honestly. He encouraged readers to seek guidance from spiritual leaders and to take part in the Church's sacraments (like Communion).
See also
In Spanish: Dietrich von Hildebrand para niños
