Friedrich Wilhelm Thiersch (June 17, 1784 - February 25, 1860), was a German classical scholar and educationist.

He was born at Kirchscheidungen near Freiburg on the Unstrut. In 1809 he became professor at the gymnasium at Munich, and in 1826 professor of ancient literature at the University of Landshut; he was transferred in that year to Munich where he remained till his death. Thiersch, the "tutor of Bavaria" (praeceptor Bavariae), found an extremely unsatisfactory system of education in existence. There was a violent feud between the Protestant "north" and the Catholic "south" Germans; Thiersch's colleagues, chiefly old monks, offered violent opposition to his reforms, and an attempt was made upon his life. His plans were nevertheless carried out, and became the governing principle of the educational institutions of Bavaria.

Thiersch was an ardent supporter of Greek independence. In 1832 he visited Greece, and his influence is said to have helped secure the throne of the newly created kingdom for Otto of Bavaria. He wrote a Greek grammar, a metrical translation of Pindar, and an account of Greece (L'état actuel de la Grece in 1833).

Thiersch's biography was written by his son, HWJ Thiersch (1866).

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.