Page "August Tholuck" Paragraph 2

Tholuck was born at Breslau, and educated at the gymnasium and university there.

He distinguished himself by his ability to learn languages.

A love of Oriental languages and literature led him to exchange the University of Breslau for that of Berlin, in order to study to greater advantage, and there he was received into the house of the Orientalist Heinrich Friedrich von Diez ( 1750 – 1817 ).

He was introduced to pietistic circles in Berlin, and came under the influence of Baron Hans Ernst von Kottwitz, who became his " spiritual father ," and of the historian Neander.

Before deciding on the career of theological professor, he had in view that of a missionary in the East.

Meanwhile he was feeling the influence to a certain degree of the romantic school, and of Schleiermacher and G. W. F. Hegel too, though he never sounded the depths of their systems.