Jakob Wimpfeling

Jakob Wimpfeling (25 July 1450 – 17 November 1528) was a Renaissance humanist and theologian.

Wimpfeling was born in Sélestat (Schlettstadt), Alsace, Lorraine. He went to the school at Sélestat, which was run by Ludwig Dringenberg, the founder of the Humanist Library of Sélestat. In 1464 he became a student at the University of Freiburg, where he received his baccalaureus in 1466; later he went to the University of Erfurt and the University of Heidelberg, where he received his magister in 1471. He then studied Canon law for three years, and finally theology.

In 1483, he was cathedral preacher at Speyer. In 1498, Philip, Elector Palatine, called him to Heidelberg as professor of rhetoric and poetry. From 1500, he lived in Strasbourg, with its bishop Albert of Palatinate-Mosbach as his patron. There he devoted himself to writing, before returning to his birthplace in 1513. At Sélestat a circle of pupils and admirers gathered around him. Differences of opinion on Lutheranism broke up this literary society.

After Martin Luther's excommunication he took part in the attempt to prevail upon the Curia to withdraw the ban. This caused him to be suspected of having written a lampoon on the Curia, Litancia pro Germania, which was probably actually written by Hermann von dem Busche.

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