Friedrich August Wilhelm Wenck (4 September 1741, in Idstein–15 June 1810, in Leipzig) was a German historian. His older brother, Helfrich Bernhard Wenck (1739–1803), was also a historian.
Beginning in 1760, he studied history at the University of Erlangen, then in 1766–68, he worked as an assistant at the Darmstadt Pädagogium. In 1770, he acquired the academic degree of magister of philosophy, and during the following year, became an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Leipzig. In 1780, he succeeded Johann Gottlob Böhme (1717–1780) as professor of history at Leipzig. Within a twenty-year period (1784–1804), on five occasions, he served as university rector.ADB:Wenck, Friedrich August Wilhelm In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 55, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1910, S. 41 f. In 1799, he was named president of the Societas Jablonoviana.Prof. Dr. phil. Friedrich August Wilhelm Wenck Professorenkatalog der Universität Leipzig
Published works He is best remembered for his three-volume Codex juris gentium recentissimi (1781–95), an edition of international treatises from 1735 to 1772.Codex juris gentium recentissimi HathiTrust Digital Library In 1779, he published a German translation (with notes) of Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Geschichte Des Verfalls Und Untergangs Des Römischen Reichs).Cross, Crescent and Conversion: Studies on Medieval Spain and Christendom edited by Simon Barton, Peter Linehan Other noteworthy written efforts by Wenck include: Entwurf der Geschichte der Oesterreichischen und Preußischen Staaten, Leipzig 1782–Outline on history of the Austrian and Prussian states. De Henrico I. Misniae et Lusatiae Marchione commentatio (several parts).Google Search published works
References