Frīdrihs Daniels Vārs (Wahr)

30.05.1749 – 25.10.1827

Friedrich Daniel Wahr (1749-1827), German Lutheran pastor at Palsmane and Aumeister churches translated for church processions and the materials to educate peasants. He collected one of the first collections of folk songs, "The Palsmarian Collection of Songs" (1808), was actively involved in the congregation, and built the Palsmane church (1817). He was specifically interested in the education of Latvians in his efforts to eradicate superstition and educate them on issues that will improve their living conditions. Nevertheless, he is considered a relatively "moderate" representative of the Enlightenment movement.
In 1818 the pastor was awarded the Cross of 'Year 1812' and in 1821 the title of Consistory Councillor.

Birth time/place

30.05.1749
Hamina

Place/time of death

25.10.1827
Palsmanes un Aumeisteru mācītājmuiža

Personal information

Father - Johann George Wahr, a surgeon at the headquarters of the Army of the Russian Empire, mother - Katherine Licherovski. There is no information about siblings.
Wife - Anna Mary (1754-1812), the daughter of former Palsmane pastor Jacob Adolphi, and the granddaughter of Heinrich Adolfphy (German-speaking Latvian linguist, translator of spiritual songs, Kurzeme superintendent). After the death of his wife, the sister of his wife Dorothea (1748-1818) moved in.
He had 2 sons, 4 daughters: 4 children died in childhood. One son, Jacob Wilhelm, died as a result of an artillery projectile explosion in Riga aged 29. Daughter - Lovisa Charlotte dies aged 33 in Palsmane. The court's decision on the division of property proves that there were no remaining descendants as the estate was inherited by the family of the housekeeping supervisor of the rectory.

Only half a year after graduating from the University of Königsberg and arriving to Livonia, he obtained his permanent pastor position, without any delay in the position of assistant pastor. This leads to assumptions regarding the new pastor's relationship with the local, Palsmane, nobility - the Albedil-Cekel family - where several military ranks can be found, thus inviting speculation about the F.D. Wahr’s father - a surgeon

Professional activity

Pastor
He was ordained in 1771 and worked for Palsmane and Aumeistaru parishes for life. He organized the construction of the Palsmane Church (completed 1817), tried to educate the locals about the various processions of the church by publishing explanatory materials.
In 1821, he was awarded the title of Adviser to the Consistory as part of his 50th anniversary award.

Literary activity
Author

1788: an advisory material on taking sacrament for parishioners
1789: an advisory material for young communicant, their fathers, mothers, godparents and relatives
1820: two pages of songs for Easter and Christmas services

Translator

1790: Call for potato growing and the respective instructions "Potato furrows, for dear Latvians of Vidzeme to no longer be in distress, are now planted in these writings by one of their trusted companions"

Lost translations

Friedrich Gottlib Klopstock’s poem "The Messiah" (“Der Messias”)
The poem "Urania" by Christopher August Tiedge (Urania über Gott, Unsterblichkeit und Freiheit)

Folkloristics 1808: collected and arranged in chapters a collection of folk songs " Palsmane/Palzmar Song Collection" with 413 folk songs, mostly in classical quadrants.
1808: supplied folk songs as well as edited in Latvian the second collection of folk songs by Rujiena's pastor G. Bergmann "Zweite Sammlung Lettischer Sinn-oder Stegreif Gedichte".
He made his observations on the traditions of the Latvian people in a reply to a request for information about the parish and the parishioners. Alongside a detailed topographic description of the Palsmane area, he reports on local wedding traditions, such as welcoming of the groom and the bride with bread, offering money to Laima, etc.
Has actively fought against superstition, which has been stably rooted in local memory for almost 200 years.

Quotes

On F.D. Wahr in mémoires.
"My grandmother told my mom that being a little girl she had been preached by pastor Wahr at Palsmane Church. He had spoken so hard that the windows were shattering. Those who were naughty daughters (got pregnant in their maidenhood) had to hide underneath a pew when he begun to "thrash them out from the pulpit.""A long time ago, during the times of pastor Wahr, form Meru locale, a ghost by the looks of a werewolf was walking around at night, and in autumn evenings he was hiding behind the barn. The people were very scared, and could not go out but in fives and sixs. My father's father had been kept by his mother for a year and a half in the cradle in the oven, so that the "evil eye" would not spot him and the werewolf would not carry him away. One Easter, Wahr took a little bell from the church, a bowl of consecrated water, and drove the werewolf away to Bush bog. He said that this beast would not exhaust people any longer. Since then, there has been peace."
/Alīdas Lapiņas atmiņas. Latviešu folkloras krātuves 21. ekspedīcija Dolē un Valkas rajonā 1968.g. LFK 1980, 454 un LFK 1980, 455/

Affinities

Heinrihs Ādolfijs - Relative

Additional names

Wahr

Education

1757–1759
Valmiera
18. gadsimta 50. gados mācījies Valmierā. Valmieras mācītāju Frīdrihu Gotlību Hildi uzskata par savu pirmo skolotāju, kas ievirzījis teoloģijā.

1760–1764
Collegium Fridericianum
Kaļiņingrada
Mācījies Kēnigsbergas Frīdriha kolēģijā.

1766–1770
University of Königsberg
Kaļiņingrada
Studējis teoloģiju. Imatrikulācijas dokumentos atzīmēts, "Fr. Dan. Warh, Wolmar, Livon.", tādējādi uzsverot ģimenes saistību ar Livoniju.

Working place

15.02.1771–1825
Palsmanes evanģeliski luteriskā draudze
"Palsmanes evanģēliski luteriskā baznīca", Palsmane, Palsmanes pagasts, Smiltenes novads
Ordinēts par mācītāju vien pusgadu pēc ierašanās Livonijā. Ordinējis superintendants Jakobs Lange. apstiprināšanas lēmumā minēts, ka sprediķus noturējis "labā latviešu un vācu valodā". Tulkojis un lokalizējis, iespējams, arī pats sacerējis skaidrojošos materiālus par dievkalpojuma norisi, kā arī dziesmu lapiņas.Racionālists. Saskatāma arī piētisma ietekme. Aktīvi darbojies draudzes izglītošanā, tai skaitā, skolas darbības organizēšanu.

Buried

11.1828
Palsmanes evanģeliski luteriskā draudze
Kapi pie Palsmanes Dzirnavu ezera