George of Polentz

Georg von Polenz, also Polentz (* 1478, † 1550 in Balga ) was bishop of Sambia, a lawyer and the first Protestant bishop.

Polenz came from an old noble Saxon family. He studied law in Bologna and was private secretary to the papal Curia, then stood as a soldier in the service of Emperor Maximilian I.. Among Margrave Albrecht of Brandenburg- Ansbach, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, he came to Königsberg. 1519 Polenz was confirmed by the Curia as bishop of Sambia.

From Johann Briesmann he learned Hebrew and the teachings of Martin Luther. Polenz was regent of the state of Prussia during the absence of Albrecht ( 1522-1525 ). He worked with the lawyer of Queis Erhard, bishop of Pomesania. Albrecht gave consent, with the bishop Polenz in Prussia initiated the Reformation.

Polenz converted to Protestantism and held its first " Protestant " Sermon for Christmas 1523 in Königsberg. After Albrecht 1525 the monastic state transformed into a secular duchy, called Bishop Polenz a large number of Protestant clergyman in the country, such as the 1539 expelled from Elbing reformer Ambrose Feierabend. He introduced the first Prussian church order.

Georg von Polenz married in 1525, and after the death of his first wife, again 1527th