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Wilhelm Christian Raster

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Wilhelm Christian Raster
Born1776
Occupation(s)Administrative official, translator

Wilhelm Christian Raster was a German administrative officer (Verwaltungsbeamter) in the Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau in the first half of the 19th century. He served as the Collector of Customs and Excise for the Duchy and maintained a close relationship with Duke Leopold IV.[1] Raster had a passion for languages (himself being fluent in four) and was noted for translating a number of Lord Byron's works from English into German. He had a friendship with the poet Friedrich von Matthisson, which was said to have a profound effect on his son, Hermann.[2] The elder Raster encouraged his son to study philology and linguistics at the universities in Leipzig and Berlin. Despite his linguistically-oriented education, the younger Raster eventually went into politics and journalism and immigrated to the United States following his participation in the Revolutions of 1848.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Specht, Reinhold (1998). Geschichte der Stadt Zerbst. Zerbst: Anhaltische Verlagsgesellschaft. p. 139. ISBN 3910192661.
  2. ^ Hermann Raster (1891). Reisebriefe von Hermann Raster: Mit einer Biographie und einem Bildniss des Verfassers. Buchdr. Gutenberg (F. Zillessen). pp. 8–9.
  3. ^ "Inventory of the Hermann Raster Papers". The Newberry Library.