Carl Friedrich Bahrdt

Carl Friedrich Bahrdt (born Aug. 25, 1741, Bischofswerda, near Dresden, Saxony [Germany]—died April 23, 1792, Nietleben, Halle [Saxony-Anhalt]) was a German Enlightenment writer, radical theologian, philosopher, and adventurer, best-known for his book Neuesten Offenbarungen Gottes in Briefen und Erzählungen (1773–74; “Latest Revelations of God in Letters and Stories”).

At age 16 Bahrdt began to study theology, philosophy, and philology at Leipzig under the orthodox mystic Christian August Crusius (1715–75), who in 1757 had become first professor in the theological faculty. In 1766 Bahrdt was appointed extraordinary professor of biblical philology. He was successively professor of theology at Erfurt and at Giessen, master of a school at Marschlins (a Philanthropin), and general superintendent at Dürkheim. Bahrdt was expelled from each of these posts for his radical beliefs and for “irregular living.” From 1779 he gave a number of lectures on philology and philosophy in Halle, about this time turning away from his more radical religious views. He also wrote—most of the time anonymously—a number of controversies, satires, and frivolous literary pieces. Much-influenced by the French Revolution, he began to style himself a radical democrat. After the death of Frederick II the Great, he was forced to give up his lectures. For the last 10 years of his life, he kept an inn in Nietleben.