Personal life Alexander von Humboldt

alexander von humboldt in library in oranienburger strasse, berlin apartment, eduard hildebrandt



portrait of humboldt julius schrader, 1859. metropolitan museum of art

much of humboldt s private life remains mystery because destroyed private letters. while gregarious personality, may have harbored sense of social alienation, drove passion escape through travel.

humboldt never married: while charmed number of attractive women, including henriette, wife of mentor marcus herz, sister-in-law caroline von humboldt stated nothing ever have great influence on alexander doesn t come through men. had many strong male friendships, , @ times had romances men.

as student became infatuated wilhelm gabriel wegener, theology student, penning succession of letters expressing fervent love . @ 25 met reinhardt von haeften (may 19, 1772 – october 20, 1803), 21-year-old lieutenant, whom lived , travelled 2 years, , whom wrote in 1794: live through you, precious reinhardt. when von haeften became engaged, humboldt begged remain living him , wife: if must refuse me, treat me coldly disdain, should still want you...the love have not friendship or brotherly love, veneration.

a travelling companion in americas 5 years aimé bonpland, , in quito in 1802 met ecuadorian aristocrat don carlos montúfar, travelled humboldt europe , lived him. in france, humboldt travelled , lived physicist , balloonist joseph louis gay lussac. later had deep friendship married french astronomer françois arago, whom met daily 15 years.

humboldt once wrote, don t know sensual needs. however, pious travelling companion, francisco josé de caldas, accused him of frequenting houses in quito impure love reigned , of making friends obscene dissolute youths , of giving vent shameful passions of heart , , dropping him travel bonpland , adonis [monúfar].

humboldt inherited significant fortune, expense of travels, , of publishing (thirty volumes in all), had 1834 made him totally reliant on pension of king frederick william iii. although preferred living in paris, 1836 king had insisted return germany. lived court @ sanssouci, , latterly in berlin, valet seifert, had accompanied him russia in 1829.

signature of humboldt late in life, when handwriting became increasingly difficult read

four years before death, humboldt executed deed of gift transferring entire estate dominating seifert, had married , set household near humboldt s apartment. humboldt had become godfather daughter. scale of bequest has drawn speculation, seifert thirty years younger, , introducing lower class partners households under guise of servants common practice.

in 1908, sexual researcher paul näcke gathered reminiscences homosexuals including humboldt s friend botanist karl bolle, 90 years old: of material incorporated magnus hirschfeld 1914 study homosexuality in men , women. however, speculations humboldt s private life , possible homosexuality continue remain fractious issue amongst scholars, particularly earlier biographers had portrayed him largely asexual, christ-like humboldt figure...suitable national idol.