The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Eiselen, Wilhelm Bernard

EISELEN, ī'zĕ-lĕn, Wilhelm Bernard, German gymnast: b. Berlin, 27 Sept. 1792; d. Misdroy, 22 Aug. 1846. His early studies began in Berlin and he was the pupil of the eminent gymnast Jahns. He soon became prominent among the young gymnasts of Berlin and in 1819 began to teach gymnastics at a school in Berlin. He opened a fencing school in 1825 in Berlin and a gymnasium in 1828, and had a vast number of pupils. The first gymnasium for young girls was instituted by him in 1832. He published many works on gymnastics and fencing, including ‘Deutsche Turnkunst’ (in collaboration with Jahn, 1816); ‘Abriss des deutschen Stossfechtens’ (1826).