Johannes Rebmann (Provost)

Johannes Rebmann (* around 1467 in Neuhausen an der Erms ; † July 10, 1517 in Herrenberg ) was a theologian from Württemberg . Since 1498 he was the provost of the brothers from living together in Herrenberg.

Life

Johannes Rebmann enrolled at the University of Tübingen in 1483 . After completing his preparatory studies, he studied theology - probably under the influence of Professors Gabriel Biel and Wendelin Steinbach . At the same time his connection with the brothers from common life began. After graduation he was canon in the Fraterherrenstift in Urach . On November 7, 1491, he began teaching there by giving biblical courses. In 1498 he was appointed provost of the Herrenberger Stift of the Brothers of Common Life as successor to Wenzel Melweiß by the Regency Council, which led the government for the minor Duke Ulrich .

His entry into service was initiated with a sumptuous feast - probably shortly before Easter (April 15) 1498 - which was supposed to end the dispute between the city and the previous provost. Rebmann was both a man of compromise and of authority. No quarrels as previously known are known from his almost twenty years in office. He succeeded in achieving this, among other things, by persuading the former canons living in the city to work together. B. 1501, when he acted as arbitrator in a violent dispute between the citizens and the butchers together with the canons.

After taking up his post, Rebmann had to take on the role of administrator of the monastery, but above all he was active as a builder and continued to build and equip the monastery church . At the same time, however, he continued his studies and teaching at the University of Tübingen. So on December 3, 1499 he began to read his sentences. On February 3, 1502 he was licentiate in theology and since 1504 he was called a doctor of theology.

Immediately after taking up his post, Rebmann had the building work on the church continued. These were primarily the south portal and the south sacristy. The order for this was probably given to the master mason Hans von Ulm, who had previously worked in the church . In 1503 Rebmann commissioned the stonemason Hans von Hausen to build the pulpit, which was completed in 1504. The decoration of the pulpit, the concept of which undoubtedly comes from Rebmann, depicts the four church fathers, who sit as full figures at desks and are grouped around the patroness of the church, Maria.

By 1510 at the latest, Rebmann must have worked on a uniform conception of the church furnishings , which primarily concerned the choir. This conception, based on the theological program of the brothers of the common life, was then to be realized gradually. It essentially comprised three elements: the stained glass of the windows, the choir stalls and the altar. The first order for the choir stalls was given to the carpenter Heinrich Schickhardt . He started work as early as 1513. The construction of the choir stalls, which were intended for the brotherly lords, was completed on June 22, 1517. Immediately before the choir stalls were set up, the glazing of the windows began and, at least in the choir, was completed. Rebmann must have signed the contract between Martini 1514 and Martini 1516 with the master Conrad "Glaser" from Tübingen. Rebmann also hired a second Tübingen master named Hans “Glaser”, who was to make the glazing of the large window above the southern tower portal and the rose window in the westwork. The glazing was completed in 1518, after Rebmann's death. Last, in 1517, Rebmann commissioned Jerg Ratgeb for the altar . While maintaining a shrine donated by Count Ludwig von Württemberg and his wife Mechthild von der Pfalz , which showed the patroness as the Radiant Madonna, Rebmann designed eight panel paintings. The New Testament scenes to be painted by Ratgeb should be accompanied by the Old Testament quotations on the frame announcing these events. The altar should allow three changes: closed (for times of penance), opened (for celebrations) and back view with an apostle-prophet cycle. Rebmann did not live to see the creation of the altar.

Rebmann had the canons depicted on the side walls of the desks of the choir stalls. The canons saw themselves as specially called members of the fighting church, strengthened by the intercessions of the saints, the triumphant church, which are represented in the pulpit balustrades, they knew about the fragility of human nature, which is why the four evangelists called for penance and exhortations to the church fathers Behavior in the choir are added.

Simultaneously with the furnishing of the collegiate church, Rebmann led the construction of the choir of the incorporated church in Hildrizhausen . For reasons of age, the contract for the construction work completed in 1515 was no longer awarded to Hans von Ulm, but to Jacob Halltmayer. Rebmann was a brother-brother out of full conviction. He died suddenly - probably of a heart attack - less than three weeks after the choir stalls were set up. Since the summer of 1516 it was known that Pope Leo X had granted the wish for the abolition of the fraternal mansions and in June 1617 everything indicated that the abolition was imminent. This news probably contributed to his death.

The unity of the monastery choir designed by Rebmann was only realized by his successor Benedict Farner . It didn't even exist for 20 years. Because of the iconoclasm sparked by the Reformation, the altar and the choir stalls had to be dismantled in 1537 and placed in the tower gallery , while the glazing of the collegiate church was largely destroyed. Under pressure from the Spanish occupation, the altar and choir stalls were put up again in 1548. Since Heinrich Schickhardt was no longer alive and his two sons Marx and Lucas did not participate in the re-erection due to the haste, the choir stalls were placed upside down. Since the altar was sold in 1890, these upside-down choir stalls and the pulpit are the only furnishing elements designed by Rebmann that are still in the Herrenberg collegiate church today.

Notes and individual references

1. ^ ^{A b} Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , p. 107
2. ^ Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , pp. 110/111
3. ^ Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , p. 111/112
4. ↑ The southern sacristy was demolished in 1890.
5. ^ ^{A b} Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , p. 112
6. ^ ^{A b} Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , p. 113
7. ^ Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , pp. 115/116
8. ↑ ^{a b c} Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann ... , p. 116

literature

• Roman Janssen: Provost Johannes Rebmann († 1517) and the unity of the collegiate church choir . In: Roman Janssen; Oliver Auge (ed.): Herrenberg personalities from eight centuries , Herrenberg 1999, ISBN 3-926809-09-4 (= Herrenberger Historische Schriften, Vol. 6), pp. 107–116