Konrad Heresbach

Konrad Heresbach and Mechthild van Duynen.

Konrad Heresbach (August 28, 1496 – October 14, 1576) was a German Reformer, Calvinist, humanist and educator.

Biography

Konrad or Conrad Heresbach was born in Manor Herzbach near Mettmann as the youngest of seven children to the wealthy holder of the Herzbach estate. In 1503, he left Mettmann to attend the Latin ecclesiastical school at the Benedictine Monastery at Werden. Here he became acquainted with the Latin language through reciting the biblical Psalms. Two years later he was schooled at the Latin school in Hamm, a school which provided children from the wealthy Rhenish–Markian bourgeois with an education. From 1510 onwards, he attended the xathedral school at Münster, and from 1512 the University of Cologne of liberal arts. Here he read Ancient Greek and Hebrew--graduating with the degree of magister artium. Thereafter, he pursued a degree in law in 1517, the year in which Martin Luther posted his 95 theses at Wittenberg.

At Cologne he became acquainted to the Dutch reformer Erasmus of Rotterdam, who after a brief stay at Paris and Orléans, found him a position at the University of Freiburg, where he graduated in 1522 with a doctorate in law. After some further Hebrew studies at the University of Padua at the age of 26 years, he returned to his native Duchy of Berg.

Memorial to Konrad Heresbach in Wesel.

Through Erasmus he gained a position as an educator with the dukes of Cleves at Wesel. He died at Manor Lorward near Wesel.

Legacy

His educational teachings considerably influenced the philologist and reformer of the German language Konrad Duden.

Works

• De Educandis Erudiendisque Principum Liberis, 1592 ( Frankfurt upon Main)

References

• Jean‑Claude Margolin. Un humaniste réformiste rhénan—Conrad Heresbach. In Jean Boisset (ed.). Réforme et humanisme. Actes du IVe colloque, Impr. de Recherche, Montpellier 1977, pp. 113–148.

External links

• Latin Works available on the Internet including some from Heresbach
• Portrait of Heresbach
• Heresbach Memorial in Wesel

Persondata
Name	Heresach, Konrad
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 28, 1496
Place of birth
Date of death	October 14, 1576
Place of death