Godfrey Wettinger
{{Short description|Maltese historian}}
Godfrey Wettinger (22 December 1929 – 22 May 2015) was a Maltese historian. He is known for his discovery, together with Fr. Mikiel Fsadni, of Il-Kantilena, a document that is widely considered to be the oldest work of Maltese literature.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/historian-godfrey-wettinger-passes-away.569222|title=Historian Godfrey Wettinger passes away|last=|first=|date=22 May 2015|website=Times of Malta|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2020}}
Biography
Wettinger was born on 22 December 1929 in Mosta. His father, the headmaster of schools in Mellieħa and Għargħur died from cancer during Wettinger's childhood.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-05-29/blogs-opinions/Godfrey-Wettinger-a-memory-6736136398|title=Godfrey Wettinger – a memory|last=Mercieca|first=Simon|date=29 May 2015|website=The Malta Independent|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2020}} Following his father's death, he was raised in Mellieħa by his mother and attended the Lyceum in Ħamrun as a student. He later studied history by correspondence at London University,{{Cite web|url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/53321/maltas_greatest_historian_ever#.XiwafWhKjZt|title=Malta's greatest historian ever|last=Camilleri|first=Mark|date=25 May 2015|website=Malta Today|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2020}} where he graduated with a BA in History in 1953, MA in 1965 and PhD in 1971.{{Cite web|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/46210/ProfWettinger.pdf|title=Godfrey Wettinger - biography|last=|first=|date=|website=University of Malta|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520064135/http://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/46210/ProfWettinger.pdf|archive-date=20 May 2017|access-date=25 January 2020|url-status=dead}} Wettinger remained a bachelor throughout his life{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/godfrey-wettinger-dies-at85.569328|title=Godfrey Wettinger dies at 85|last=Dalli|first=Kim|date=23 May 2015|website=Times of Malta|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2020}} and died on 22 May 2015 at the age of 85.{{Cite web|url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/53245/historian_godfrey_wettinger_dead_at_85#.XiwciGhKjZs|title=Historian Godfrey Wettinger dead at 85|last=Vella|first=Matthew|date=22 May 2015|website=Malta Today|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2020}} He was awarded the National Order of Merit in 1996.
Career
Wettinger started lecturing at the University of Malta in 1972 and held various posts at the university throughout his career, including Head of the Department of History and Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He also held various terms as the President of the Malta Historical Society (1984-1986, 1989-1992, 1997-1999, 2003-2005){{Cite web|url=http://maltahistory.eu/presidents.htm|title=Presidents of the Malta Historical Society|last=|first=|date=|website=Malta Historical Society|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=25 January 2020}} and was a founding member and editor of Melita Historica, the society's official journal.{{cite journal|last1=Bovingdon|first1=Roderick|title=Mastru Karm Debono's little known works of art in Attard|journal=Vigilo|date=July 2016|issue=47|page=51|url=https://dinlarthelwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Vigilo-47.pdf|publisher=Din l-Art Ħelwa}} In 2014, Wettinger was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to literature during the National Book Prize, held by Malta's National Book Council.{{Cite web|url=https://ktieb.org.mt/the-history-of-the-national-book-prize/|title=The History of the National Book Prize|last=|first=|date=5 August 2016|website=National Book Council|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=8 March 2020}}
Wettinger wrote extensively about slavery in Malta and published a comprehensive history on the subject in 2002.{{cite news |last1=Bonello |first1=Giovanni |title=Tragic tales of slaves in Malta |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/tragic-tales-slaves-malta.967480 |work=Times of Malta |date=16 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613211606/https://timesofmalta.com/article/tragic-tales-slaves-malta.967480 |archive-date=13 June 2024}}
References
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Category:Academic staff of the University of Malta
Category:Historians of slavery