The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Scherr, Johannes

SCHERR, shĕr, Johannes, German author and literary critic: b. Hohenrechberg, Swabia, 3 Oct. 1817; d. Zürich, Switzerland, 21 Nov. 1886. He was educated at the University of Tübingen and in 1843 settled in Stuttgart, where he became a teacher. He allied himself, politically, with the Democrats among whom he became a leader; in 1848 he was elected to the assembly and in the revolution of that year he took so prominent a part that he was compelled to flee to Zürich in 1849. He was appointed professor of history and literature in the University of Zürich in 1860, holding the position until his death. His works are characterized by their caustic wit and many peculiarities in point of diction. His writings include “Geschichte der deutschen Literatur” (1854); “Michel, Geschichte eines Deutschen unserer Zeit” (1858); “Deutsch Kulturund Gittengeschichte” (1852); “Geschichte der deutscher Frauenwelt” (1860); “Blucher, seine Zeit und sein Leben” (1862-63), etc.