Why is Johann Gottfried von Herder often called a father of Romanticism?

Johann Gottfried von Herder is widely regarded as a father of Romanticism due to his profound influence on the intellectual shift away from the rigid rationalism of the Enlightenment toward an emphasis on feeling, history, and cultural identity.12

His contributions include:

• Cultural Relativism and the Volk: Herder posited that each culture possesses a unique collective identity, or Volksseele (ethnic soul), expressed through its language, traditions, and folk literature. He argued that these cultures should be judged within their own contexts rather than by external standards.13
• Elevation of Feeling: He championed the role of Gefühl (feeling) as a medium of thought, arguing that true understanding of reality requires an immediate, intuitive experience rather than purely rational or distant observation.2
• Historical Imagination: Herder turned historical study toward social and cultural development. He believed that the spiritual essence of a people could not be discerned through logic alone but required an act of historical insight.1
• Sturm und Drang: As a leader of this movement, his work provided the essential foundation for the emergence of German Romantic literature.42