The New International Encyclopædia/Fessler, Ignaz Aurelius

FESSLER, fĕs'lẽr, Ignaz Aurelius (1756-1839). A well-known Hungarian historian and ecclesiastic. He was born at Czurendorf and educated at Pressburg and Raab. He was successively a Capuchin monk in Vienna, professor of hermeneutics at Lemberg, a Protestant and Freemason at Berlin, a lecturer on philosophy at Saint Petersburg, a Government official at Saratov, and, lastly, general superintendent of the Lutheran Community of Saint Petersburg. He wrote several historical novels (Marc Aurel, Matthias Corvinus, Attila) now well-nigh forgotten, a History of the Hungarians, possessing great merit, and an autobiography charming in manner and style, Rückblicke auf meine Siebzigjahrige Pilgerfahrt (Breslau, 1826). He died at Saint Petersburg, December 15, 1839.