The New International Encyclopædia/Förstemann, Ernst Wilhelm

FÖRSTEMANN, fẽr'ste-mȧn, Ernst Wilhelm (1822—). A German philologist, born in Danzig. In 1865 he became chief librarian at the Royal Library in Dresden. His services in behalf of the reorganization of the Dresden Library were most important. His principal publications include: Altdeutsches Namenbuch (2 vols.: 2d ed. vol. i., 1900; 2d ed. vol. ii., 1872), a valuable and interesting work devoted to a discussion of old German proper names, the volumes being respectively devoted to names of persons and places; Geschichte des deutschen Sprachstamms (1874-75), his most important work; Aus dem alten Danzig, 1820-40 (1900); and an edition of, as well as several interesting treatises on, the famous Maya manuscript in the Dresden library.