Eckermann, Johann Peter (Winsen, 1792-1854, Weimar), was Goethe's companion and unpaid secretary in the last years of his life (1823-32). Eckermann fought as a volunteer in the War of Liberation (see Napoleonic Wars), and afterwards studied at Göttingen. He made contact with Goethe in 1822 by sending him his Beiträge zur Poesie mit besonderer Hinweisung auf Goethe (published by Cotta in 1823). Eckermann actively assisted Goethe in the preparation of the definitive edition of his works, the Ausgabe letzter Hand. In 1837 he published the first two volumes of Gespräche mit Goethe in den letzten Jahren seines Lebens; the third volume followed in 1848. In spite of inaccuracies these conversations are a valuable source for Goethe's life and opinions in his last years. Eckermann was appointed ducal librarian in Weimar in 1836. An edition of the Gespräche by R. Otto appeared 1982.

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