Gatterer, Johann Christoph

German historian

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

Johann Christoph Gatterer (1727–1799) was a German historian and scholar who significantly contributed to the academic discipline of history. He was instrumental in establishing history as a formal field of study within universities, particularly at the University of Göttingen where he held the chair of history. Gatterer championed critical editions of historical sources, initiated historical journals, and founded an early form of a historical seminar. His work laid groundwork for modern historiography by emphasizing institutional support and scholarly collaboration.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

historiography
Johann Christoph Gatterer and the Göttingen scholars
Until the beginning of the 19th century, the history of historiography could be represented in a list of great and near-great individuals. Group efforts like those of the Bollandists or the Benedictines of St. Maur were the exception; almost…
Read More
Until the beginning of the 19th century, the history of historiography could be represented in a list of great and near-great individuals. Group efforts like those of the Bollandists or the Benedictines of St. Maur were the exception; almost…
Read More