Martin Chemnitz

Martin Chemnitz (1522-1586) was an eminent Lutheran theologian, reformer, churchman, and confessor, born in Treuenbrietzen, Brandenburg on November 9, 1522, the day before Martin Luther had been born in 1483. In the Lutheran tradition he is known as Alter Martinus, the "Second Martin": Si Martinus non fuisset, Martinus vix stetisset ("If Martin had not come along, Martin would hardly have survived") goes a common saying concerning him.

Early Life and Education

Sixteen-year-old Martin served as a weaver's apprentice in 1538; he attended school in Magdeburg from 1539-1542, and attended the Universities of Frankfurt (1543-1544), Wittenberg (1545-1547) where he studied under Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, and Königsberg (Kaliningrad) (1547?1548). He taught school at Calbe (1542-1543), Wrietzen an der Oder (1544-1545), and the Kneiphof school in Königsberg (1548?1549). Chemnitz served as castle librarian to Duke Albrecht of Prussia (1550-1552). It was during these years that his interest shifted from astrology, which he had studied in Magdeburg, to theology. Chemnitz moved to Wittenberg in 1553 as a guest of Melanchthon.

Related Topics:
Magdeburg - Frankfurt - Wittenberg - Martin Luther - Melanchthon - Königsberg - Kaliningrad

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