Jakob Christmann

Jakob Christmann (* November 1554 in Johannisberg (Rheingau ), today Geisenheim, † June 16, 1613 in Heidelberg ) was a German orientalist and university teacher who also dealt with astronomical questions.

  • 2.1 Books
  • 2.2 letters
  • 2.3 Miscellaneous

Career

University of Heidelberg

Christmann, in 1578, converted to Christianity Jew, studied mainly Oriental Studies at the Heidelberg Collegium Sapientiae, where he became a teacher at the so-called Dionysianum. Then he joined the physician and humanist Thomas Erastus and followed him first to Basel and later returned to the University of Heidelberg. When in 1578 both refused because of their Reformed confession that. Elector Ludwig VI to sign for binding said Concord, they had to leave the Lutheran University. Christmann went on a study trip that took him to Breslau, Vienna and Prague.

Casimirianum Neustadt

Finally, a Christian man moved to the 1578 by the brother of the Elector, Count Palatine Johann Casimir, was founded as Reformed University Casimirianum in Neustadt an der Haardt. In 1582 he devoted there to the Rector and the professors his Arabic grammar Alphabetum arabic, which was apparently intended as a textbook for the students.

University of Heidelberg

When, after the death of Louis VI. ( 1583 ) reformed university teachers were accepted back in Heidelberg, Christmann 1584 there appointed professor of Hebrew. On the side he prepared a catalog of the manuscripts of the French linguist Guillaume Postel, which were kept at Heidelberg Castle since 1551. In 1590 he published a new Latin translation of the astronomical textbook of al - Farghani. From 1591 he taught in addition Aristotelian logic.

1602 Elector Friedrich IV appointed him rector of the University of Heidelberg. In 1608 he was awarded the Europe's first Chair of Arabic language, a position he had in 1590 demanded.

Works and written documents

  • Alphabetum arabic cum Isagoge Arabice Legendi ac scribendi. Neustadt 1582.
  • Muhammedis Alfarganii Arabis Chronologie et astronomiae elementary. Frankfurt 1590th

Letters

  • Letter of 11 April 1604 Johannes Kepler

Christmann called in the Latin -written letter to the " far-famed Lord Imperial mathematician Johannes Kepler " this his " venerable friend." From formulations shows that both apparently already had contact, and probably also existed further correspondence has not been preserved.

Others

  • Preface of 19 December 1603 Copernicus Manuscript

The manuscript of the work De revolutionibus of Copernicus was initially the following Christmann handwritten and signed Latin preface: Venerable et eximii iuris utriusque Doctoris D ( omi ) ni Nicolai Copernick Canonici Varmiensis in Borussia Germaniae mathematici celeberrimi opus ... Translated is this: The Lord Nicolaus Copernicus, the venerable and excellent doctor of both laws, Warmia canon in German - Prussia and highly famous mathematician working ... Since 1953, the manuscript is under the signature Ms. BJ. 10 000 in the Bibliotheca Jagellonica the University of Krakow.

Germans Astronomer Louis VI, Elector Palatine Wrocław Frederick IV, Elector Palatine Integrated Authority File
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