Legacies of David Cranz's 'Historie von Grönland' (1765) (Christianities in the Trans-Atlantic World)

This book brings together interdisciplinary scholars from history, theology, folklore, ethnology and meteorology to examine how David Cranz’s Historie von Grönland (1765) resonated in various disciplines, periods and countries. Collectively the contributors demonstrate the reach of the book beyond its initial purpose as a record of missionary work, and into secular and political fields beyond Greenland and Germany. The chapters also reveal how the book contributed to broader discussions and conceptualizations of Greenland as part of the Atlantic world. The interdisciplinary scope of the volume allows for a layered reading of Cranz’s book that demonstrates how different meanings could be drawn from the book in different contexts and how the book resonated throughout time and space. It also makes the broader argument that the construction of the Artic in the eighteenth century broadened our understanding of the Atlantic. Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures Chapter 1: Introduction: More than the Sum of Its Parts: David Cranz’s Historie von Grönland History of Production Overview of Cranz’s Historie von Grönland Overview of This Collection Timeline of the Historie von Grönland55 Bibliography Archives Newspapers Books and Articles Part I: Religious Context and Reception Chapter 2: Moravians in Greenland: Barren Shores and Fruitful Missions Introduction The Contexts of Production Division of Text Book 5: Egede Book 6: Rosina Book 7: The Erection of the Saal Book 9: Lichtenfels Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 3: David Cranz’s History of Greenland and Physico-theology Physico-Theology Natural History and Physico-Theology in the Moravian Church David Cranz and The History of Greenland Bibliography Part II: English-Language Reception and Print Culture Chapter 4: “A Collection of Absurdities”: Reception of Two English Versions of Cranz’s Book in Britain, 1767 and 1820 The 1767 English Version The 1820 Version Conclusion Bibliography Moravian Church Archives London (MAL) Provincial Helpers Conference (PHC), 1766 Unitäts Archiv Herrnhut, Germany (UA) Newspapers and Journals Printed Texts Chapter 5: Unbecoming Heretics: Knowledge, Missionary Stories, and the Legacy of David Cranz in North America Cranz, Greenland, and Academic Print Culture Cranz and Evangelical Children’s Literature Changing Perceptions of the Moravians Bibliography Part III: Scientific Importance and Influence Chapter 6: Circulation of Arctic Knowledge Among German Protestants in the Eighteenth Century: The Example of David Cranz’s Historie von Grönland Conclusion Bibliography Unitätsarchiv, Herrnhut (UA) Printed Texts Chapter 7: Early Meteorological Observations in Greenland: The Contributions of David Cranz, Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein and Christopher Brasen Missionary Activity in Greenland and in Labrador: The Context for Early Meteorological Observations Meteorological Observations in the Eighteenth Century: Worldwide and in Greenland Meteorological Observations by Christopher Brasen in Greenland and Manuscript Sources Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein: Meteorological Observations Description and Graphs of Brasen’s Meteorological Data Kratzenstein, Cranz and the Greenlandic Fata Morgana The North Atlantic Oscillation Conclusions Bibliography Theses Chapter 8: Greenland in Hungary: Inuit Culture and the Emergence of the Science of Anthropology in Late Eighteenth- to Early Nineteenth-Century Hungary Bibliography Chapter 9: The Soul of the Arctic: David Cranz’s Account of the Religion or Superstitions of the Greenlanders and Its Impact on Nineteenth-Century Descriptions of Religion in Greenland Cranz’s Context for Spirit and Soul Contrasting Examples: The Noaide and the Angakok The Journeys of the Angakok The Primitive Soul The Shadow, the Breath and the Material Soul Primitive Folk Belief The Soul of the Arctic Bibliography Part IV: Cranz and the Medium of Missions Chapter 10: The “United Brethren” and Johann Gerhard König: Cranz’s History of Greenland as an Avenue to the Natural History of India Introduction Protestant Mission in India in the Eighteenth Century The Historie von Grönland as Means to Patronage Reactions from Halle to the Historie von Grönland Moravian Collection of Specimens in Tranquebar König and the “United Brethren” in Tranquebar Conclusion Bibliography Archive Material Archive of the Francke Foundations, Halle, Germany (AFSt) Archive of the Leipzig Mission in the Archive of the Francke Foundations, Halle, Germany (ALMW) Archive of the Town Council Halle (Saale)/Archive Publishing House Gebauer & Schwetschke, Halle, Germany (StaH), 2019 “The Linnaean Correspondence” (LC), Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, USA (MAB) National History Museum London (NHM) Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) Unity Archives, Herrnhut, Germany (UA) Primary Sources and Secondary Literature Chapter 11: Cranz’s Greenland as a Stepping Stone to Labrador: Tracing the Profile of the Inuit Introduction Jens Haven, Greenland and Labrador J. Haven’s “Remarks About the Labrador Coast” (1764) as a Source for Cranz’s 1770 Edition Greenlanders and Labrador Inuit: Name, Physique and Temperament Clothing Winter Houses and Tents Domestic Utensils and Food Vessels (kayak and umiak) Religion and Societal Organization Language The Inuit Population Conclusion Bibliography Manuscripts Secondary Sources Part V: The Post-colonial Cranz Chapter 12: Cranz Revisited: Greenland in Greenland Section 1: Context and Reception of Cranz’s History of Greenland in Eighteenth-Century Greenland and Denmark Reception of Cranz’s Historie Von Grönland in Greenland and Denmark, 1814–1953 Reception of Cranz’s Historie Von Grönland in Greenland and Denmark During Commonwealth Rule (1953–1979) and Home Rule (1979–2009) Current State of Discussion of Cranz in Denmark and Greenland (2009–2018) Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 13: Appendix: The Memoir of David Cranz (1723–1777) Memoir (Lebenslauf) of David Cranz (1723–1777) Bibliography Selected Register of Persons Selected Register of Places Selected Register of Terms "This book brings together interdisciplinary scholars from history, theology, folklore, ethnology and meteorology to examine how David Cranz's Historie von Grönland (1765) resonated in various disciplines, periods and countries. Collectively the contributors demonstrate the reach of the book beyond its initial purpose as a record of missionary work, and into secular and political fields beyond Greenland and Germany. The chapters also reveal how the book contributed to broader discussions and conceptualizations of Greenland as part of the Atlantic world. The interdisciplinary scope of the volume allows for a layered reading of Cranz's book that demonstrates how different meanings could be drawn from the book in different contexts and how the book resonated throughout time and space. It also makes the broader argument that the construction of the Artic in the eighteenth century broadened our understanding of the Atlantic." --Provided by publisher This book brings together interdisciplinary scholars from history, theology, folklore, ethnology and meteorology to examine how David Cranzs Historie von Gronland (1765) resonated in various disciplines, periods and countries. Collectively the contributors demonstrate the reach of the book beyond its initial purpose as a record of missionary work, and into secular and political fields beyond Greenland and Germany. The chapters also reveal how the book contributed to broader discussions and conceptualizations of Greenland as part of the Atlantic world. The interdisciplinary scope of the volume allows for a layered reading of Cranzs book that demonstrates how different meanings could be drawn from the book in different contexts and how the book resonated throughout time and space. It also makes the broader argument that the construction of the Artic in the eighteenth century broadened our understanding of the Atlantic This book brings together interdisciplinary scholars from history, theology, folklore, ethnology and meteorology to examine how David Cranz's Historie von Groenland (1765) resonated in various disciplines, periods and countries.