This study originated in 1985. Just having finished my study of history at the Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen and looking for an occupation, I discussed my options with my former teacher in philosophy of history, Dr. W.J. van der Dussen. He suggested to consider the possibility of doing research in philosophy of history, and mentioned the German philosopher Theodor Lessing as a most interesting thinker who had been hardly discussed, and whose ideas on history as expounded in his book with the fascinating title Geschichte als Sinngebung des Sinnlosen might well be an interesting subject to study. Theodor Lessing’s philosophy of history has been on my mind ever since, even though there have been years I could barely spend any time to study it, because of teaching obligations and other projects I got involved with. But I was never inclined to abandon the project – and Dr. Van der Dussen, who meanwhile became a professor and, moreover, both my head of department at the Dutch Open Universiteit and a valued friend, showed truly exceptional patience with supervising it over all these years. I am most grateful for his encouragement and help over these many years; for the completion of this study, I owe him more than anyone else. Only when the then dean of the Faculteit van Cultuur- en Rechtswetenschappen van de Open Universiteit, Prof. Mr. E. Stamhuis, granted me time off from my regular tasks to complete this study, I managed to do so. I am much obliged to Prof. Stamhuis for this support. When I first started this project in 1985, Prof. Dr. H.W. von der Dunk was a most friendly and very helpful adviser; I am grateful for his stimulating observations.
Over the years, a great number of colleagues and friends helped me, by providing information or texts or by encouraging me. For their help and encouragement, I want to thank Dr. Lawrence Baron, Dr. Leo van Bergen, Drs. Paul van den Boorn, my godfather the late Prof. J.A. Huisman, Dr. A.E.M. Janssen, Mr. Manfred Küchler, Prof. J. van Marle, Dr. Rob Meens, Father G.W. Pieterse SCJ, Drs. Ruud van de Plassche, Mr. Martin Rethmeier, Prof. Guido Vanheeswijck, Drs. Cees Willemsen, and my colleagues at the Faculteit van Cultuur- en Rechtswetenschappen van de Open Universiteit.
This study was almost completely written in the Reading Room of the University Library of my alma mater, which in the meantime changed its name into Radboud Universiteit. I thank the staff of the Reading Room for their always warm hospitality.
Incorporated in this study are the findings of a number of essays in Dutch on Theodor Lessing, which I published between 2001 and 2015 in the monthly Streven. I thank the editors of this monthly – indeed, my fellow-editors, as I have been involved with Streven since 1998 –, both for publishing the articles,
For their unrelenting support over the years, I especially thank my closest and highly esteemed colleagues Dr. Toon Bosch, Dr. Femke Kok and Dr. Jeroen Vanheste at the Studiecentrum Nijmegen of the Open Universiteit; and my sister Brechtje and my brother George.
I dedicate this book to my parents, Bets Simissen-Rasker and Theo Simissen, in loving memory. Both of them had a keen interest in history; my father did only just live long enough to see me developing the wish to study history when I still was a schoolboy; my mother did not live to see me finishing this study on Lessing. I am sure both of them would have greatly enjoyed seeing the completion of this work.
Nijmegen / Heerlen, April 2017
Addendum
I would like to express my special thanks to Jennifer Pavelko, Fenja Schulz, Emma de Looij and Christina Sargent of Brill for their professional and friendly support in publishing this book.
Herman Simissen
April 2021
Nijmegen / Heerlen