JAHN, yiin. Ltmwtc: (1778-1852). The founder of physical training in Germany, known as the Turnva ter. Ile was born at Lanz in the Province of Brandenburg, and was educated at the universities of Halle. Greifswald, and Grd tingen. An ardent patriot, lie early arrived at the belief that the spirit of German nationality could be successfully developed by physically de veloping the young generation. In 1811 he estab lished his first Turnplatz or open-air gymnasium at Berlimand in spite of great opposition persisted in his task until be had gained the approbation of Frederick William Ill. and his Minister After taking part in the War of Liberation, from 1b13 to 1815, he returned to what he had deter mined to make his life work. Later Jahn came to be suspected as a demagogue by the reaction ary Government, his gymnasium was closed, and he himself was first imprisoned and then forbid den to live in any university town. He settled at
Freiburg-an-der-Unstrut and continued to pub lish work on his favorite subject. In 1848 he was a member of the National Assembly. Jahn may be regarded as one of the found ers of German unity. The numerous Turn vereins which sprang up as a result of his activity and remain to-day as a monument to his memory, as well as the Burschenschaft, which he was largely instrumental in creating, served to develop the feeling of nationality which spoke out so clearly in 1860 and in 1871. He was eccen tric and rather uncompromising in his opinions, but at heart a true philosopher and an unselfish patriot. Be wrote Runenblattcr (181.1); Runenblattcr (182S) ; zum deutsehen Volkstum (1833) ; and Die deutsche Turnkunst (1816).