In the little book, “True pictures from the life of the departed Frau Hofrath Johanne Henriette Leopoldine Hahnemann, nee Kuchler” (Berlin, Ferd. Rob. Reichardt 1865) we read:
Johanne Henriette Leopoldine sacrificed to him her whole property when he formed the great-souled resolution of withdrawing altogether into the sanctuary of his creative mind, to devise means of relief for the bodily sufferings afflicting mankind, after he had recognized that the existing methods, though a thousand years old, were not only insufficient, but were causing unceasing harm.
The thoughtful housewife, the faithful mother, must often have been full of anxiety when she considered what would become of her numerous family if Hahnemann should not satisfactory, solve the difficult problem-who could wonder at this? Who would not rather wonder if the German woman had not, under such circumstances frequently looked anxiously into the future?
Johanne Henriette Leopoldine watched with tender care over the domestic happiness, the tranquil peace of the great Master, so that he only felt happy in his home, in his family, and seldom left them; a care and loving activity which her faithful and noble daughters after her death, undertook and exercised.
Franz Hartman tells us in his detailed essay “From Hahnemann’s Life” (“Allg,. hom. Ztg.,” 1844. Vol. 26. page 187- 188) how Hahnemann was called for dinner at 1`2 o’clock sharp (Supplement 8I), and that when he had to be called a third time, he remarked, “This time I shall get a black look.”Hartmann then continues:
From this and similar expression heard from him, I could surmise how much this great man was kept under guardianship in his own home, yet he let it willingly happen in the belief that he owed this tribute to his wife, as she watched over all his peculiarities with the greatest attention and punctuality, sought to gratify them, never let him want for anything, and besides, along guided the bringing up of his children which he considered very important as he was unable to do it himself owing to his manifold occupations.
But Ernst von Brunnow wrote in his little book, “A glimpse at Hahnemann and homoeopathy”.
Although Hahnemann demanded strict obedience from his children, as a husband he was far from having the rule in his own hands. His tall and stout wife, who like Agnes Frei, in the case of the noble painter, Albrecht Durer, gave him many a bitter hour, exercised the most baneful influence upon him. It was she who cut him off from the world, and set him against his medical colleagues. It was she who often caused dissension between him and his most faithful pupils if they did not treat the doctor’s wife with the deepest respect. Not with standing this, hahnemann used to call this scolding Xantippe, who took pleasure in raising a storm in the house, :’ “the noble companion of his professional life.”
SUPPLEMENT 94
HAHNEMANN’S LETTER ON HIS WIFE’S CONFINEMENT.
I. for my part, look upon every increase in my family, and every confinement of of my wife, as one of the most important events of my life. An offshoot, composed in equal part’s from me a new being, issuing from our blood sees the light of day, to increase the joys and (wholesome) sufferings of its parents; expecting a wonderful guidance and destiny in life, and its development for the purpose of a higher existence in eternity. This is a solemn spectacle inviting even us to serious contemplation.
Behold! what great and solemn preparations for the arrival of this new citizen in to the world. The mother is wrestling between life and death, undecided whether she will have to give up her earthly existence on its account, and make her other children orphans, and be parted from the anxious husband. Already I see yawning before me the grave of her who, usually so full of life, is now affected to the point of death; I see the door of eternity opening for her, who on earth is the irreplaceable happiness of husband and children, and yet close to all these terrible preparations, a longed for new-born life is to be ushered in for mother and child, the approach of the triumphal arrival into being of a young life of divine origin; both lie in these anxious moments commanding veneration in the yet unopened hand of God; what dread and rapturous expectation!
I at least, have been deeply touched in my innermost soul by each of these almost super-physical events, a confinement of may wife, and have accepted it as a process of moral purification from the Great Principal of Goodness, t the Father of all perfected souls- and ave endeavored to utilize these awe- inspiring moments obviously meant for eternity for the cleansing and purification of my character-and where there was yet left a blemish of jealousy for my fellow brethren or a fold in my heart which concealed a suspicion of deceit, or any trace of untruth and falsehood, or where Detected a tendency t appear different or to talk to otherwise than coincided with my inner conviction, I have swept it away. In these hours I have always vowed to cultivate simplicity, honesty and truth and to find containment and happiness in. the eyes of he Great Father of all life, another one hand by ever perfecting the innermost growth of the soul, as is seemly for a citizen for a citizen of eternity, and on the other hand, by making those around me happy. For he is the God of Truth, Whose great presence encompasses us, ad before Whom we cannot hide our innermost thought, a nd before the holiness of Whom, even the holiest of us can’t justify himself. In this way I have created fur muse;l, during these heart-rending hours, an inner life, arch as we need for eternal;survival, and for our advent into the land of perfection. It is in vain that in our younger years we hide from ourselves the fact, that it is only for this end that we exist; we are led towards this exalted goal and nothing can hinder us. How quickly the first 30 years vanished. Do you think that the coming 30 years left to count among mortals, when he will cast off his earthly form pertaining to corruption to enter calmly and cheerfully into the reign of the All-loving, the reign of truth, vision and peace. Do not let us fall into any errors of calculation. A year has only 12 months. Only a small number is left before our goal is reached. Already the last hour, the last minute, of the transit to the Father of moral purity and virtue is vividly before my eyes, when I shall hardly be able to point upwards with my cold hand-and then the last moment Simple, joyful and welcome is this moment to him who has striven to render himself worthy of it.
(Copied from Stapf’s “Archiv.” 1844, vol. 21, Part I, page 157.)
SUPPLEMENT 95
FREDRICK HAHNEMANN IN THE ERZGEBIRGE.
Franz Hartmann tells us in the “Allg. hom Ztg.” 1850, Vol.38. No.24
His great intellect, which even his opponents had to acknowledge, he tried to surround with an even large halo, by favoring a certain kind of charlatanism, which he wrapped round with a mantel of student-boasting, a nd by means of which he gained an even greater number of followers. Zschopau and neighboring parts brought him considerable gain, and he arrived as a rule like whirlwind in an open which were besieged with patients. Only for a time did the doctors of a different opinion remain content to watch him with an evil and jealous gaze, and they combined for a general attack, in which there was no rejoinder, as Hahnemann junr. had taken his degree in this State, and also possessed a chemist;’s shop, and therefore no accusation could lawfully be charged against him for dispensing his own medicines. Yet the power of the majority prevailed’; he was asked to defend himself, which he would not do for reasons before named, and he at once preferred to avoid all unpleasantness and persecution, by leaving his country, wife and children and settling down in another continent.
And in another passive (“Allg him. Ztg,” Ztg(<)” 1844, Via.26 page 1296), Hartmann remarks in a footnote:
In addition may I be allowed to refer to this intellectual your man, who has only his love of boating to thank for this ruin. After acquiring his doctor’s degree at Leipsic, he went to the little town of Wolkenstein in the Erzgebirge, where he bought the chemist’s shop, and where for some year she had such a large following of patients, that these had often to wait for days for their turn. In Zschopau, were I afterwards lived, he had also a great deal of work, and he opens carriage and four, standing erect in it, with reins unhand, and his long hair flying. The loss of patients which the other physicians of that district suffered, resulted in an accusation, against him from the Board of Health. This he would not defend himself against and preferred to leave wife, children and country.
In No.23 of the “Allg. Anz. der Deutschen” of January 24th, 1817, we find the following.
REQUEST.
Would not Dr. Hahnemann of Wolkenstein do greater service to humanity if he were so kind as to communicate his system of treatment of the medical profession? For the more we inquire into his mode of treatment, the more it seems to be opposed to the method explained by his father in the Organon of the rational art of treatment, a nd yet it is quite unlike any other exiting method
Richard Haehl was also an editor and publisher of the homeopathic journal Allgemcine, and other homeopathic publications.
Haehl was responsible for saving many of the valuable artifacts of Samuel Hahnemann and retrieving the 6th edition of the Organon and publishing it in 1921.
Richard Haehl was the author of - Life and Work of Samuel Hahnemann