Adam Reusner, also Reissner or Reißner (c. 1496-1575 (some claim 1572 or 1582)) in

Mindelheim Mindelheim (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Mindelhoi'') is a Town#Germany, town in Swabia (Bavaria), Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. The town is the Capital (political), capital of the Unterallgäu district. At various points in history it was the chief s ...

) was a

German mystic The Friends of God (German: Gottesfreunde; or gotesvriunde) was a medieval mystical group of both ecclesiastical and lay persons within the Catholic Church (though it nearly became a separate sect) and a center of German mysticism. It was founde ...

, hymn-writer and poet.

Biography

Reusner studied at

Heidelberg University } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

in 1518 and was a pupil of

Johannes Reuchlin Johann Reuchlin (; sometimes called Johannes; 29 January 1455 – 30 June 1522) was a German Catholic humanist and a scholar of Greek and Hebrew, whose work also took him to modern-day Austria, Switzerland, and Italy and France. Most of Reuchlin's ...

, studying Hebrew and Greek under him 1521. In 1523 he enrolled at the

University of Wittenberg Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg (german: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg), also referred to as MLU, is a public, research-oriented university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg and the largest and oldest university i ...

, where he was studied alongside the likes of

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

Philipp Melanchthon Philip Melanchthon. (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lu ...

Justus Jonas Justus Jonas, the Elder (5 June 1493 – 9 October 1555), or simply Justus Jonas, was a German Lutheran theologian and reformer. He was a Jurist, Professor and Hymn writer. He is best known for his translations of the writings of Martin Luthe ...

, and pursued a degree in theology. From 1526 to 1528, he was the private secretary of the captain

Georg von Frundsberg Georg von Frundsberg (24 September 1473 – 20 August 1528) was a German military and Landsknecht leader in the service of the Holy Roman Empire and Imperial House of Habsburg. An early modern proponent of infantry tactics, he established ...

to the German mercenaries in Italy. He witnessed the Sack of Rome in the

Italian War of 1521–1526 The Italian War of 1521–1526, sometimes known as the Four Years' War, (french: Sixième guerre d'Italie) was a part of the Italian Wars. The war pitted Francis I of France and the Republic of Venice against the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ...

, along with his friend

Jakob Ziegler The humanist and theologian Jacob Ziegler (c. 1470/71 — August 1549) of Landau in Bavaria, was an itinerant scholar of geography and cartographer, who lived a wandering life in Europe. He studied at the University of Ingolstadt, then spent some ...

. He then became an independent scholar teaching theology in

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

, where he was a friend and spiritualistic supporter of Kaspar Schwenckfeld. In 1532-1548 he worked as a chronicler in his native Mindelheim, but he lost this position as a result of the

Schmalkaldic War The Schmalkaldic War (german: link=no, Schmalkaldischer Krieg) was the short period of violence from 1546 until 1547 between the forces of Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire (simultaneously King Charles I of Spain), commanded by the Duk ...

. He lived for a number of years in

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...

, working as a scholar until at least 1563, but appears to have returned to live in his native town before his death. He was quoted in '' Korte Reis'' by Solomon Schweiger who was visiting

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

at the time. As a scholar, he wrote historical and theological works, including an "anti-papal history." He later became known as a hymn writer from about 1530. He paraphrased psalms for the ''Psalter'' of Sigmund Hemmel. His hymn "

In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr "" ("In Thee, Lord, have I put my trust", literally: "In thee have I hoped, Lord") is a Lutheran hymn in seven stanzas, written by Adam Reusner and first published in 1533. He paraphrased the beginning of Psalm 31. It was first sung to the melody ...

" (In you, Lord, have I put my trust) is still included in the German hymnal. Its fifth stanza, "Mir hat die Welt trüglich gericht't" (The world has judged me deceitfully), appears in Bach's ''

St Matthew Passion The ''St Matthew Passion'' (german: Matthäus-Passion, links=-no), BWV 244, is a '' Passion'', a sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander. It sets ...

''. A hymnal at

Wolfenbüttel Wolfenbüttel (; nds, Wulfenbüddel) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, the administrative capital of Wolfenbüttel District. It is best known as the location of the internationally renowned Herzog August Library and for having the largest c ...

. ''Tegliches Gesangbuch ... durch Adam Reusner'' (Daily Songbook ... by Adam Reusner) contains more than forty of his hymns.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Reusner, Adam German Protestant hymnwriters Protestant mystics 16th-century German Protestant theologians German male non-fiction writers German poets 1496 births 1575 deaths 16th-century Christian mystics People from Mindelheim Heidelberg University alumni University of Wittenberg alumni 16th-century German male writers