Wybo Fijnje

Wybo Fijnje (24 January 1750 in Zwolle – 2 October 1809 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch Mennonite minister, publisher in Delft, Patriot, exile, coup perpetrator, politician and - during the Batavian Republic and Kingdom of Holland - manager of the predecessor of the Staatscourant publication.

Life

Early life Fijnje grew up in Haarlem, where his father Jan Fijnje, originally from Harlingen, was also a minister. His parents died in 1763. He studied in Amsterdam, but moved in 1771 to Leiden and came in contact with the Collegiants in Rijnsburg. Fijnje began his career as a Mennonite preacher in Deventer (1774); he completed his PhD in the same year. his son Jean was deputy editor. He got the use of the domain het Kleine Loo. When the editorial office was moved to Amsterdam, Jonas Daniel Meijer was appointed editor-in-chief. Fijnje seems to have been unable through illness to keep up the job, but was kept on as a nominal manager.

Works 1774 Theoriae Systematis Universi specimen philosophicum (dissertations) 1783 Beknopte tijdrekenkundig begrip der algemeene geschiedenis; 2 delen, waarvan het tweede deel verloren is gegaan. (Brief summary of the general history; 2 parts, of which the second part is lost.)