As the years passed by and the new generation grew up, the admiration for his past achievements and for his character only increased.

His seventieth birthday, which he celebrated in 1885, was made the occasion for a great demonstration of regard, in which the whole nation joined.

A national subscription was opened and a present of two million marks was made to him.

More than half of this was devoted to repurchasing that part of the estate at Schoenhausen which had been sold when he was a young man.

The rest he devoted to forming an institution for the help of teachers in higher schools.