Tobias Clausnitzer (5 February 1619 − 7 May 1684) was a German

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

pastor and

hymn writer A hymnwriter (or hymn writer, hymnist, hymnodist, hymnographer, etc.) is someone who writes the text, music, or both of hymns. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the composition of hymns dates back to before the time of David, who composed many of ...

Leben und Wirken

Born in

Thum Thum is a small town in the district of Erzgebirgskreis, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Thum has a population of about 5800. Geography Thum is situated in the Erzgebirge, 10 km northwest of Annaberg-Buchholz, and 19 km south of ...

, Clausnitzer studied theology at the

University of Leipzig Leipzig University (german: Universität Leipzig), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 Decemb ...

from 1642. In 1644, he became

military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term ''cha ...

(''Feldprediger'') for a unit of the Swedish army. When the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...

ended, he held a service celebrating the Peace of Westphalia in

Weiden in der Oberpfalz Weiden in der Oberpfalz (official name: Weiden i.d.OPf.; Northern Bavarian: ''Weidn in da Owapfalz'') is a district-free city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located east of Nuremberg and west of the Czech border. A branch of the German Army is locat ...

in 1649. He settled, became pastor, and later also and inspector of Parkstein and Weiden. He died in 1684 as

Superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank *Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator *Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...

in Weiden. He wrote theological treaties, sermons and hymns. "

Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier "" (literally: Dearest Jesus, we are here) is a Lutheran hymn with text written by Tobias Clausnitzer in 1663, and a hymn tune, Zahn No. 3498b, based on a 1664 melody by Johann Rudolph Ahle (Zahn No. 3498a). A prayer for illumination, ...

" became popular, also in translations.

Work

* "Herr Jesu, deine Angst und Pein", hymn in '' Evangelisches Gesangbuch'' EG 89 (1662) * "

", hymn EG 161, melody by

Johann Rudolph Ahle Johann Rudolph Ahle (24 December 1625 – 9 July 1673) was a German composer, organist, theorist, and Protestant church musician. Biography Ahle was born in Mühlhausen, Thuringia. While not much is known of his early musical training, he attende ...

, 1664, published by Wolfgang Carl Briegel in 1687 * "Jesu, dein betrübtes Leiden", hymn in '' Evangelischen Kirchengesangbuch'' EKG) 69 (in a revised version) *
Oder Trauriges Schau-Bild, Der gantz mitleidigen Natur, über dem hoch-schmertzlichen Leiden und Sterben, Unsers gecreutzigten Herrn Jesu
'. Sermon reflecting the

Passion of Jesus In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ. Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...

, Endter, Nürnberg 1662

Literature

* * Johannes Schluttig: ''Tobias Clausnitzer, der Dichter des Kirchenliedes "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier"''. In: ''Herbergen der Christenheit. Jahrbuch für deutsche Kirchengeschichte'' 27, 1959, 62 ff. * Helene Hoffmann: ''Tobias Clausnitzer''. In: ''Die Oberpfalz'' 48, 1960, 111 ff. * Helene Hoffmann: ''Tobias Clausnitzer und die Einführung des Simultaneums im Gemeinschaftsamt Weiden-Parkstein''. In: ''Zeitschrift für bayerische Kirchengeschichte'' 29 (1960), S. 186–218. * * Manfred Knedlik: ''Tobias Clausnitzer (1619-1684)''. In: ''Die Oberpfalz – Brücke zum Osten'', 1992, 107–111.

External links

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Tobias Clausnitzer
(in German) Literaturportal Bayern] {{DEFAULTSORT:Clausnitzer, Tobias German Lutheran hymnwriters 17th-century Lutheran clergy People from Thum 1619 births 1684 deaths