In commemoration of the 200th birth anniversary of Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) the DDR (GDR) issued the above stamp on Feb.26th,1980. On the left is the title of his (unfinished) book "Vom Kriege" (about war(s)),published 1832. It is "the" theoretical and philosophical work about warfare. Till today "Vom Kriege" is a must for military academy students, as well as for scientific economy and business strategies. I have read,that in the armed forces of China von Clausewitz is taught on equal footing with the theories of Mao Tse Tung. A soldier-philosopher,but unlike the other one,Marc Aurel, writing about military/political problems only. For convenience,here a copy of his dates from a earliar post (war-time generals): As an ensign he had his first combat service at the age of 13. Later he studied at military academies with brilliant results. As captain,aged 26,he took part in the battle of Jena and Auer- stedt,what ended in total defeat for Prussia.He became a french prisoner of war,for one year. In 1812,when Prussia was coerced into an alliance with Napoleon against Russia,Clausewitz resigned from the prussian army and joined the russian army.After Napoleons defeat he rejoined the prussian army as a colonel and took part in the battle of Waterloo. He was mistrusted by the arch-conservative government,but the reformist military leaders were on his side. He became the head of the central general-staff-academy,but was not allowed to teach.In 1818 he was promoted to the rank of a general-major,making him the youngest general in Prussia. In 1831 he took the command of the prussian observation forces in Poland,after his mentor and the great reformer of the prussian army von Gneisenau died from Cholera.But not for long,because he also caught the cholera and died after a short time.(Although possibly from accompanied complications.) Clausewitz,knighted in 1827,came from a typical prussian officers-family.His father fought in the "Seven-Years-War" and his two elder brothers also became prussian generals. But he not famous for his war-record,but as military theorist, teacher and the most eminent military philosopher.
Hegel again,see post #50 Upper stamp issued Oct.23rd,1948 wmk."Kreuzblume" (Wmk.292) and again Feb.1953 wmk."DDR Posthorn" (Wmk.297) from definitive sets of 15 and 16. Lower stamp issued Jan.20th,1970,from a set of 6.
Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) issued July 10th,1950 He wanted to become a philosopher,wanted to study physics,but his parents could not pay for that.So he had to study medicine,because doing so in army-service was free of fees and costs. With the help of Alexander von Humboldt he got free from the military and started a academic career.Professorships of medicine and physics, working in other fields as well made him into a true classical philosopher,a polymath.(Leibnitz was not the last of this kind !) issued Aug,27th,1971 (150th birth-anniversary) He was nicknamed the "Bismarck of Physics". As a philosopher he is often classified as a "Neu-Kantianer". He rejected Methaphysics as un-scientific,but also Materialism. Ethical values had to be in accordance with the realities of sciences. He was a gifted mathematician who solved some age-old problems. Too much for such a post.Wikipedia can help ! Issued Sept.8th,1994 (100th death anniversary).
Avicenna (980-1037) was most influential as physician in medieval Europe.Born in Buchara,he wrote in Persian and Arabic. He must have been a child prodigy,writing and teaching at a very young age.Like the ideal classic philosopher,he had a profound knowlege of almost every aspect of science,poetry and music. He was very much influenced by Aristoteles,but was also a critic of many of his teachings.The works of Avicienna,what were translated into Latin, were taught by universities and the church. His life was so rich and full of stations,that I cannot make a summary. But there are lots of books and articles about this great man. Stamp issued Aug.11th,1952. (from a set of 4) The stamp shows a wrong year of his birth !
