Johann Jakob Wirz

Johann Jakob Wirz

Johann Jakob Wirz ( January 22, 1778 in Basel - September 25, 1858 in Oftringen ) was a Swiss silk weaver , theosophist , mystic and community founder of the "New Church" (contemporary until 1852), later also "Nazarene community". Through the spread of his letters and writings, his influence reached into pietic and religious groups and communities as far as Bessarabia, the Rhineland and later also to North America.

Life

Early years and education

Wirz was born as the son of the silk weaver Josua Wirz from Erlenbach in the canon of Zurich and his wife Maria Barbara geb. Nonnenmeyer born in Basel. His children were baptized on January 25, 1778 in the Evangelical Reformed Theodorskirche in Basel. Nothing is known about his childhood and schooling. Through his father he learned the silk weaving trade, which secured his modest economic existence until 1825. In his family, especially through his father, he received a deep religious stamp. The daily prayer at the loom, among other things, according to the "Christian Bätt booklet on all the body and soul needs of the body and soul directed at different times, coincidences, strange situations and people" by Zurich Felix Wyss (1596–1666) and reading in of the Bible were an integral part of the petty-bourgeois family and work life.

From 1787 to 1792 Wirz testified in retrospect in his autobiographical writings that he had had intense calls of grace to occupy himself with the divine world.

According to the circumstances of the time, he did his military service in two different corps. This was followed by a period of longer and then common wanderings. He always gave Augsburg, Vienna and Geneva as places of wandering.

On December 14, 1807, he married Anna Barbara Löw von Menken zu Muttenz in Basel . There were no children from the marriage.

Professional and religious development

Due to difficult economic circumstances, Wirz worked in Lyon from 1811 to 1813. After his return he worked for a short time as a silk weaver and then worked in Johann Dobler-Debary's silk ribbon factory in Malzgasse. In later sources he is often referred to as a ribbon weaver or silk ribbon weaver, which he was not defacto. Because due to health problems, he only took on light work in the silk ribbon factory.

In 1815 he became a member of the German Society for the Promotion of Pure Doctrine and True Godliness , generally known as the German Christianity Society (founded in Basel in 1780). In the minutes of January 20, 1815 it says:

"Jakob Würz, silk weaver, 37 years old, at Rheingasse No. 40, in work for H [errn] Dobler, born in Erlenbach, Cant [on] Zurich, married, without children; cannot find peace in the world, seeks the good, is a friend of reading religious books; through acquaintance with Götschy [at the time 'head of the unmarried brothers'] he would like to take part in the verse ; an actual awakening does not seem to have happened to him yet; but he does not appear far from the kingdom of God; he has physical ailments and is quiet. "

His admission was noted on February 4, 1815. The Christianity Society was strongly influenced by Christian Friedrich Spittler and Nikolaus von Brunn , pastors of St. Martin and co-founder of the Basel Mission .

From 1820 he had visions and parapsychic experiences and states. During this time he had his first encounter with Gerhard Tersteegen's "Spiritual flower garden of the most intimate souls". He also read the writings of Johannes Tauler , David Joris , Jakob Böhme , Johann Georg Gichtel , Friedrich Christoph Oetinger , Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling and Johann Michael Hahn . Sometimes he was in contact with them.

He undertook extensive trips to the various groups and communities in Switzerland, Germany and France ( Strasbourg ) with a similarly mystical - theosophical character, but also with a pietistic and anabaptist orientation.

In 1824 he resigned from the Christianity Society and formed a circle of religious dissidents in Basel. Previously, his prophecies and clairvoyance perceived as disturbing had caused considerable annoyance. At the end of the same year he completely gave up his job in the silk ribbon factory for health reasons. His religious friends in particular the Basel professor Friedrich Lachenal (1772-1854) ensured his economic existence from now on.

Despite his poor health, he again traveled to various groups and communities. He kept writing letters in which he passed on his visions and prophecies to the scattered followers and friends. He was visited daily in Basel and asked for advice.

From the Karl Köllner / Sitzenkirch family (father-in-law of Johann Christoph Blumhardt ), the daughter Charlotte Häberlin-Köllner handed down the following picture in the "Mitheilungen aus dem Leben des Vater Carl Köllner": Wirz had only had the most ordinary upbringing,

"... but his language was the expression of inner knowledge and enlightenment, which placed his appearance under the appearance of a special vocation, of which many had to show at that time ..." and further "... His appearance, that of an ascetic and Resembling theosophists had something impressive ... "

Since 1825, through the relationship with Ignaz Lindl (1774-1845), the spread of the writings and teachings in the Rhineland (Barmen) and in the German settlements in Bessarbia and in the home of Lindl in Bavaria. The close connection to Lindl lasted until his death in 1845. The Barmen Brothers Circle was to make a particular contribution by publishing the writings of Wirz after 1862.

From 1831 he began to publish his writings. At first they appeared anonymously . "The real stone of wisdom" and "The night watchman or the midnight hour", "Eugenius, the third Adam and priest Melchizedek, the opponent of the antichrist" appeared. The events surrounding the violent separation of the cantons of Basel in 1832/33 are based on further instructions and visions . He left Basel and now lived mainly in Sitzenkirch with the Köllner family, which is intended to serve him and his family as a "rescue location" (cf. the Pietische founding of Korntal in Württemberg ). From here he set out for the Rhineland (Barmen), Württemberg and Bavaria in 1834 to visit his supporters there.

New Church

In 1835 he returned to Basel. In 1837 he traveled again to the cantons of Zurich, Argau and Bern. In August 1843, from a correspondence with a citizen of Zurich, the script: The new Church, or the reawakened Apostolic Congregation, in the third household of God, under the government of the Holy Spirit, illuminated from the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments . It was printed and published in Zurich. It found wide distribution as far as Württemberg and the Rhineland. From then on, the designation “New Church” or “Neukirchler” became common for the followers of Wirz.

Wirz's wife died on January 27, 1849 in Basel; since 1825 they had probably already lived separately. She did not join his teaching. Marital abstention was part of Wirz's teaching. Nevertheless, Wirz was very friendly and affectionate towards her.

In 1850 he separated from his patron and supporter Friedrich Lachenal . Wirz has to move to his siblings in Oftringen in the canton of Aargau.

Nazarene Common

In 1852 Wirz issued the slogan that his community should no longer bear the name “New Church” but “Nazarene congregation”.

Wirz died in 1858 and was buried on September 29, 1858 in the presence of numerous supporters from the cantons of Basel, Aargau, Zurich as well as from Baden, Württemberg, Bavaria, Barmen and Herford in the cemetery of the community of Oftringen.

Mix-ups and incorrect assignments

With Johann Jakob Wirz and his Nazarene congregation, there are always confusions and incorrect assignments, Kurt Hutten already knows that Ernst Staehelin as well.

Please note the following:

1. The free church movement and later community of Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich was sometimes referred to as the Nazarenes or Nazarenes in Switzerland and southern Germany. Only in the course of development did the uniform designation Evangelical Anabaptist Congregation [ ETG] (next to "New Baptist " or "Fröhlichianer") prevail. Only in Hungary was the name Nazarénusok retained, which appears similar to the German Nazarenes .
2. The Church of the Nazarenes ( English Church of the Nazarene ) is a free church today. It comes from a Methodist tradition and did not spread in Germany until the 1890s. But has no connection with Wirz and his supporters.

Little explored the life and theology of Wirz. That is why it happens again and again that Wirz and his community are assigned to the Inspired Churches or the Apostolic Churches. But often also the radical pietism , spiritism and theosophy .

Publications

Most of his publications appeared largely after Wirz's death:

• Biography of Johann Jacob Wirz: a testimony of the Nazarene community of the development of the kingdom of God on earth, Barmen, 1862
• Testimonies and Openings of the Spirit, Volume 1, Barmen, 1863
• Testimonies and openings of the Spirit Holy Documents of the Nazarene Congregation, Volume 2, Barmen, 1864
• Faith of the Nazarene Congregation, Letters Johann Jacob Wirz, Volume 1, First and Second Collection, Barmen, 1866
• Faith of the Nazarene community, letters Johann Jacob Wirz, volume 2, third collection of letters to Ignaz Lindl, Barmen, 1868
• Faith of the Nazarene community, Letters Johann Jacob Wirz, Volume 3, Fourth Collection of Letters to the Brotherhood in Barmen, Barmen, 1874
• The Council of Hell: or An Underworldly Reich Council Meeting or The Source of Confusion in Contemporary Times, Lorch (Württemberg), 1930

literature

• Hutten, Kurt: seers, brooders, enthusiasts sects and special religious communities of the present, Quell-Verlag, Stuttgart, 1950, chapter: The Nazarenes
• Staehelin, Ernst: In: Gustav Steiner, Valentin Lötscher and Adolf Portmann (eds.): Basler Stadtbuch 1966, Helbing & Lichtenhahn, Basel 1967.

Web links

• https://www.baslerstadtbuch.ch/stadtbuch/1966/1966_1200.html

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t} Ernst Staehelin: The Basel silk weaver Johann Jakob Wirz as clairvoyant and founder of the Nazarene community . In: Gustav Steiner, Valentin Lötscher and Adolf Portmann. (Ed.): Yearbook for Culture and History Basler Stadtbuch 1966 . Helbing & Lichtenhahn, Basel 1967, p. 50 ff .
2. ^ Ernst Staehelin: The Basel silk weaver Johann Jakob Wirz as clairvoyant and founder of the Nazarene community . In: Gustav Steiner, Valentin Lötscher and Adolf Portmann (eds.): Yearbook for Culture and History Basler Stadtbuch 1966 . Helbing & Lichtenhahn, Basel 1967, p. 77 .
3. ↑ Wyß, Felix [Dienern der Kirchen zum Frawenmünster Zurich]: Christian Bätt-Büchlein on all body and soul necessities of body and soul directed at different times, coincidences, strange classes and persons. In: Zurich Central Library. Printed by Johann Heinrich Hamberger at Verlag Michael Schaufelbergers in Zurich, 1661, accessed on August 21, 2020 . 
4. ^ ^{A b c} Kurt Hutten: seers, brooders, enthusiasts - sects and religious special communities of the present . 11th edition. Quell-Verlag, Stuttgart 1968, p. 443 .
5. ^ ^{A b c} Ernst Staehelin: The Basel silk weaver Johann Jakob Wirz as clairvoyant and founder of the Nazarene community . In: Gustav Steiner, Valentin Lötscher and Adolf Portmann (eds.): Yearbook for Culture and History Basler Stadtbuch 1966 . Helbing & Lichtenhahn, Basel 1967, Basel 1967, p. 76 (footnote 78) .