Jacob August Franckenstein

Who was Jacob August Franckenstein?

Jacob August Franckenstein was the main editor of the first two volumes of Johann Heinrich Zedler's Grosses vollständiges Universal-Lexicon, the most important encyclopedia published in Germany in the 18th century.

Franckenstein was born and died in Leipzig; he was the son of the lawyer and historian Christian Gottfried Franckenstein. In August 1713 he acquired a Master's degree in philosophy in Leipzig, and in 1719 he received a doctorate in law in Erfurt. From 1721 to 1732 he was professor of natural and international law at the University of Leipzig. In 1722 he was temporarily a Councilor at Zerbst, the seat of government of the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, but after two years he returned to teaching at the university.

In 1731, Zedler asked Franckenstein to be the lead editor of the planned Universal Lexicon. He already had some experience with the book market. He was a colleague and confidant of Professor Johann Burckhardt Mencke, publisher of the journal "New Learned Works" and other periodicals, a supporter of Zedler's mammoth project. The first two volumes were prepared under Franckenstein's leadership.