Histories of Violence

Biography

Friedrich Nietzsche was born on October 15, 1844, Rocken, Prussia, in the German Confederate of states. Nietzsche’s father, a Lutheran pastor, died when Nietzsche was 5 years old, and he spent his childhood living with his mother, sister and two unmarried aunts. Recognised as an exceptionally bright student by the internationally renowned Schulpforta School near Naumberg, with the intention of studying for the clergy. He continued his studies there until 1864, and excelled at religious studies, German literature and classical studies. Upon graduation from Schulpforta he continued his studies at the University of Bonn, where he read theology and classical philology. After one year at Bonn, Nietzsche transferred to the University of Leipzig and dropped theology, focusing solely on philology.  In 1868 Nietzsche served in the army, but was discharged early from service for medical reasons. Even though he had yet to complete his doctorate, he was considered an exceptional student, and was offered the chair of classical philology at the University of Basel, aged only 24. He briefly served in the military once again during the Franco-Prussian war as a medical orderly, though he again had to be relieved on medical grounds. He returned to Basel to teach from 1869-1879, at which point, afflicted once more by poor health, he was forced to retire.

Nietzsche’s works are still controversial due to disagreement over their interpretation. He was highly critical of religion, and thought the good/evil dichotomy of the Judeo-Christian world was a fallacy. In stating that “God is dead” in many of his works, Nietzsche felt that humanity, in embracing any form of religious morality, avoided making decisions that would be to its betterment. In abandoning such a concept of transcendental right and wrong, and acknowledging there is nothing more to this world than living, humanity would be able to realise its true potential.

In 1889 Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown. While initially able to hold conversation in his more lucid moments, his health slowly deteriorated until he died in 1900, in Weimar. His sister gained the rights to his unpublished works at the time, and edited them for publication. Nietzsche’s sister was married to a member of the German anti-Semite movement, which Nietzsche himself despised. The influence of this association on the editing of his posthumous volumes is adds to the problems of interpretation around his work.