Johann Friedrich Böhmer

Johann Friedrich Böhmer (April 22, 1795 - October 22, 1863) was a German historian

Böhmer was born in Frankfurt as the son of the Palatine official Karl Ludwig Böhmer. Educated at the universities of Heidelberg and Göttingen, he showed an interest in art and visited Italy; but returning to Frankfurt he turned his attention to the study of history, and became secretary of the "Gesellschaft für ältere deutsche Geschichtskunde". He was also archivist and then librarian of the city of Frankfurt.

Böhmer had a great dislike of Prussia and the Protestant faith, and a corresponding affection for Austria and the Roman Catholic Church, to which, however, he did not belong. His critical sense was, perhaps, somewhat warped; but his researches are of great value to students. He died unmarried at Frankfurt.

Böhmer's historical work was chiefly concerned with collecting and tabulating charters and other imperial documents of the Middle Ages. First appeared an abstract, the "Regesta chronologico-diplomatica regum atque imperatorum Romanorum 911-1313" (Frankfurt, 1831), which was followed by the "Regesta chronologico-diplomatica Karolorum. Die Urkunden sämmtlicher Karolinger in kurzen Auszügen" (Frankfurt, 1833), and a series of "Regesta imperii". For the period 1314-1347 (Frankfurt, 1839) the "Regesta" was followed by three, and for the period 1246-1313 (Frankfurt, 1844) by two supplementary volumes. The remaining period of the Regesta, as edited by Böhmer, is 1198-1254 (Stuttgart, 1849). These collections contain introductions and explanatory passages by the author.

Very valuable also is the "Fontes rerum Germanicarum" (Stuttgart, 1843-1868), a collection of original authorities for German history during the 13th and 14th centuries. The fourth and last volume of this work was edited by A Huber after the author's death. Other collections edited by Böhmer are: "Die Reichsgesetze 900-1400" (Frankfurt, 1832); "Wittelsbachische Regesten von der Erwerbung des Herzogtums Bayern bis zu 1340" (Stuttgart, 1854) and "Codex diplomaticus Moeno-Francofurtanus. Urkundenbuch der Reichsstadt Frankfurt" (Frankfurt, 1836; new edition by F Law, 1901).

Other volumes and editions of the "Regesta imperii", edited by Julius von Ficker, Engelbert Mühlbacher, Eduard Winkelmann and others, are largely based on Böhmer's work. Böhmer left a great amount of unpublished material, and after his death two other works were published from his papers: "Acta imperii selecta", edited by J Ficker (Innsbruck, 1870); and "Regesta archiepiscoporum Magunlinensium", edited by C Will (Innsbruck, 1877-1886).

See Johannes Janssen, "J. F. Böhmers Leben, Briefe und kleinere Schriften" (Freiburg, 1868).----