Johannes Letzner

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Johannes Letzner (born November 29, 1531 in Hardegsen ; † February 16, 1613 in Strodthagen ) was a Protestant pastor and regional historian of Lower Saxony.

Life

Born as the son of Valentin Letzner and his wife Anna Eckhardt, he first attended school in his hometown. After further visits to higher schools in Gandersheim , Göttingen and Eisleben , he enrolled at the University of Wittenberg for a short time in 1550 . Via Bursfelde he reached Uslar in 1551 , where he took over a position as cantor and schoolmaster. This was followed by parish positions in Parensen , Münden in 1553 , in Langenholtensen in 1564 , in Lüthorst in 1583 , in Iber in 1589 and finally in Strodthagen, where he died after he retired. Little is known about his family. A letter from his cousin, later Wolfenbüttler consistorial advisor Heinrich Petreus , tells us about his wife and child. His son Hans Letzner was born in Iber in 1602 and later settled in his father's hometown. There he held the office of town treasurer . According to records in a Hardegs church book, he died on March 19, 1671. Two other sons of Letzner were employed at the city school in Moringen between 1667 and 1685 . A Johannes Letzner was a second class teacher for a few years from 1667 and in 1685.

He gained importance as a historian of the 16th century in Lower Saxony. Above all, he dealt extensively with the history of the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg . His research received a lot of attention in his time and later historians included his explanations in their research. Today, some of his work is controversial. Although he used a lot of archival material from his time, details often appear doubtful from today's research point of view, even if Letzner himself stated that he occasionally sent the manuscript of his Dasselisch-Einbeckische Chronika 1588 to Pastor Hennichius from Dassel in Hamburg for review and correction He proceeded similarly with his work on the Hildesheim collegiate feud. Letzner was supported in his historical research above all by the two dukes Julius and Philip II , who gave him positions that allowed him to pursue his research. Of all his chronicles, the Great Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Göttingen Chronicle in 8 volumes is considered his life's work, on which he worked for 36 years.

Fonts

  • Chronica and historical description of the praiseworthy and world-famous Keyserlichen free stifft and closter Walckenrieth
  • Corbeische Chronica , Hamburg 1590 ( full text )
  • Dasselische and Einbeckische Chronica , Erfurt 1596 ( full text )
  • Hardessian Chronica
  • Historia Caroli Magni. The most powerful, Christian Roman and first German Keyser ... deeds. , Printed at Hildeßheim by Andream Hantzsch, 1603 ( full text )
  • Stud book or chronicle of the ancient nobles and the commemorative family of the "von Berlepsch" , 1594
  • Chronica and historical description of the life, the Hendel and deeds of the ... German Roman. Keys. Lodowici Pii and the Keyserlichen Freie Stiffts Corbei , Hildesheim 1604 ( full text )
  • Description of the Keyserl located in the Wolffenbüttel duchy. Stifftes Königs-Lutter. Including Henr. Meibomii report from the Comthurey at Süpplingburg . Wolfenbüttel 1715 ( full text )
  • together with Heinrich Bünting : Braunschweig-Lüneburgische Chronica, or: Historical description of the most noble dukes of Braunschweig and Lüneburg, how they initially originated from the princely houses of Este and Saxony . New edition Braunschweig 1722 ( full text )

Honors

His hometown Hardegsen named a street after him. ( Letznerstrasse )

literature

References and comments

  1. ↑ a copy in the Scientific City Library Mainz , sign. 603/8 (R)
personal data
SURNAME Letzner, Johannes
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Letznerus, Johannes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION chronicler of Lower Saxony
DATE OF BIRTH November 29, 1531
PLACE OF BIRTH Hardegsen
DATE OF DEATH February 16, 1613
Place of death Strodthagen