Enciclopedia Cattolica

WILLMANN, OTTO

Volume XII · p. 1046 · 1954

English translation · Testo originale italiano

Image from page 1046
Image from page 1046

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

WILLMANN, Otto. - Philosopher and noted pedagogist, b. at Lissa (Posnania) on 24 Apr. 1839, d. at Leitmeritz on 10 July 1920. He studied at Breslau and Berlin; taught at Leipzig (1863-68), Vienna (1868-1872) and Prague (1872-1903).

Of Catholic family, after an initial adherence to Herbartian principles he turned to Catholic thought. From the standpoint of Thomism he carried out a broad critique of modern philosophy and pedagogy. His attacks on Kant did not fail to provoke lively discussion on the relationship between philosophy and Kantian mysticism. His many works deal with the most varied aspects of teaching, pedagogy and philosophy. Noteworthy among them are: *Pädagogische Vorträge über die Hebung der geistigen Tätigkeit durch den Unterricht* (1868, 4th ed. 1905); *Gesch. des Idealismus* (3 vols., 1894-97; 2nd ed. 1907); *Grundlinien idealer Weltanschauung* (1905); *Die Wissenschaft vom Gesichtspunkt der katholischen Wahrheit* (1916, 2nd ed. 1928).

BIBL.: G. Greisse, O. W., Paderborn 1916; J. B. Seindelberger, O. W., 1913; H. Pixberg, Soziologie u. Pädagogik bei W., 1923; L. Colonia 1928; W. Pohl, O. W. s. religiöser Entwicklung, 1923; Vienna 1935; id., s.V. in LThK. X, cols. 922-24 (extensive biographical sketch with list of writings and bibliography); L. Krebs, O. W. zum Gedächtnis, Freiburg im Br. (1940); cf. also W. Ziegenfuss, *Philosophen-Lexikon*, II, Berlin 1950, p. 888. Enrico Garulli.