Froebel Chronology

1782 Born April 21 at Oberweissbach in the Thuringian Forest, state of Schwartzburg- Rudolstadt.

1783 Death of mother.

1792 Sent to live with uncle, Superintendent Hoffman, at Stadt Ilm.

1797 Goes to Neuhaus in the Thuringian Forest as a forester's apprentice.

1799 Student at Jena University.

1801-1805 Holds various posts: student of agriculture at Hildburghausen, actuary in a forestry department, land surveyor, secretary, and accountant at a large country estate.

1802 Death of father.

1805 Goes to Frankfurt to study architecture, but instead becomes a teacher in Gruener's model school. Pays first visit to Pestalozzi's school at Yverdon, in August.

1807 Becomes tutor to sons of Herr von Holzhausen and wife.

1808 Takes his pupils to Yverdon to study with Pestalozzi.

1810 Returns to Frankfurt.

1811 Becomes student at Gottingen University.

1812 Goes to University of Berlin to study crystallography under Weiss.

1813-14 Joins Prussian volunteer corps in war of liberation against Napoleon's forces.

1814-16 Returns to Berlin as assistant in the mineralogical museum, University of Berlin.

1816 Establishes "Universal German Educational Institution" at Griesheim in Rudolstadt.

1817 Transfers school to Keilhau, where he is joined by Heinrich Langethal and Wilhelm Middendorff, wartime associates.

1818 Marries Wilhelmine Hoffmeister.

1826 Publishes The Education of Man.

1828 Johannes Barop, Middendorff's nephew, joins Educational Community at Keilhau.

1829 Prepares plan for a National Educational Institute in Helba to submit to Duke of Meiningen. Plan abandoned two years later for lack of support.

1831 Goes to Frankfurt and then to Wartensee in Lucerne and opens a school.

1832 Accepts invitation to transfer school to Willisau in Lucerne.

1835 Accepts direction of school and orphanage for canton of Berne at Bergdorf.

1836 Leaves Switzerland to return to Rudolstadt.

1837 Opens an institute for the education of very young children at Blankenburg and begins to develop series called "gifts and occupations."

1838-40 Publishes articles in Sunday journal on play material and travels to Dresden, Leipzig, and elsewhere to promote new movement.

1839 Death of wife.

1840 Names kindergarten and founds kindergartens at Blankenburg and Rudolstadt.

1843 Publishes Mutter und Kose-lieder.

1844-47 Lectures in Dresden, Darmstadt, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Frankfurt.

1848 Attends teachers' conference called by him at Rudolstadt.

1849 Moves to Liebenstein near Eisenach to begin training of kindergarten teachers.

1849 Berthe von Marenholz-Bulow visits institution and begins lifelong support for the cause. Institution removed to Marienthal.

1851 Marries Luise Levin. Prussian government bans kindergartens.

1852 Dies on June 21 at Marienthal.

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