Matthäus Prätorius

Matthäus Prätorius (c.1635–c.1704) was a Protestant pastor, later a Roman Catholic priest, a historian and ethnographer.

Prätorius is thought to have been born in Memel. He probably grew up speaking both German language and Lithuanian language, which helped him when preaching to the ethnic Lithuanians in Ducal Prussia. His work about Prussia and its culture, Deliciae Prussicae oder Preussische Schaubühne, resembles the work of Christoph Hartknoch, with whom he collaborated. Prätorius' work provides much more ethnographic information regarding local Lithuanians and Old Prussians. It was only published partially, in 1871. A complete edition, in seven volumes, with original German text and Lithuanian translation, is under preparation in Lithuania.

In 1701, having converted from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, he appealed against an ongoing case of witch-hunt. He died in Weyherststadt.

Tuba pacis

Scutum Regium

Orbis Gothicus

Mars Gothicus

Deliciae Prussicae oder Preussische Schaubühne

Matas Pretorijus / / Matthew Praetorius. Prūsijos įdomybės, arba Prūsijos regykla / / Deliciae Prussicae or Prussian theater. Edited by Inge Lukšaité and Vilija Gerulaitienė. Vilnius: Pradai. Vol 1 (1999), Vol 2, ed. Inge Lukšaité in collaboration with V. Gerulaitienė, M. Čiurinskas, I. Tumavičiūtė, Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos instituto Leidykla, (2004), Vol 3, hersg. Inge Lukšaité with the collaboration of M. Girdzijauskaitė, p Drevello, J. Kilius, Čiurinskas M., (2006) Vol 4, hersg. Inge Lukšaité in collaboration with V. Gerulaitienė, J. Kilius, T. Veteikis, Vilnius. Lietuvos istorijos instituto Leidykla, (2011) (for all 7 vol).

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