Franz Boll (historian)

Franz Boll (October 17, 1805 - March 20, 1875) was a Lutheran theologian and historian who was a native of Neubrandenburg. He was the father of physiologist Franz Christian Boll (1849-1879), and the brother of naturalist Ernst Boll (1817-1868), with whom he collaborated with throughout his career.

He studied theology in Halle, Berlin and Rostock, and in 1835 returned to Neubrandenburg as a pastor and school teacher. In 1866 he became "Praepositus" of the Neubrandenburg Synod.

As a historian, Boll dealt largely with the history of the Mecklenburg region in Germany. This work involved investigations of documented information contained in various towns and churches, and included intensive study concerning the history of Neubrandenburg and the Broda monastery. His two-volume work, "Geschichte der Lande Stargard bis 1470", concerned the history of Mecklenburg-Stargard prior to the year 1470. Boll also performed archaeological research in the Mecklenburg region, and with his brother collaborated on a treatise called "Die Geschichte Mecklenburgs, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Culturgeschichte". This publication concerned the history of Mecklenburg, with particular attention given to its cultural history.

Boll was an active member of the "Neubrandenburger Reformbewegung", which was part of the reform movement of 1848, and as his career progressed, became good friends with novelist Fritz Reuter (1810-1874).

References

* "This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia."