Thomas Kantzow

Thomas Kantzow (* 1505 in Stralsund, † September 25, 1542 in Stettin) was a German chronicler and historian.

Life

Kantzow studied in Rostock in 1526 and was in 1528 Secretary of the Pomeranian Dukes Barnim IX. and George I. He soon gained their goodwill and was able to purchase various sinecures. Kantzow joined by the Pomeranian land division of 1532 the court of Philip I. Wolgast and developed an aversion to the politics of the Szczecin duke Barnim IX. 1538 referred Kantzow the University of Wittenberg to operate at Philipp Melanchthon further studies. Nevertheless, he had a strong homesick. When he fell ill in 1542, they wanted to bring him to his home, where he died in Stettin and was buried in St. Mary's Church.

Since Kantzow was in the service of Philip I, he collected historical news of Pomerania. Here he developed the Pomerania by Johannes Bugenhagen on. Its written in Low German chronicle, which is known under the name of Fragmenta Pomeranian history, ranging from the beginning of the history of Pomerania until 1534 and is the first German History of Pomerania. To 1538, he worked it into a high German chronicle, which includes eleven books. He then created in Wittenberg 1538-1542 a second high German version of the Chronicle. He also wrote drafts of a font from the old Pomerland, which deals with the period before the Germanic Slavic settlement of Pomerania.

Kantzow was assisted in his historical works by Nicolaus of Klemptzen, to whom he bequeathed his manuscripts. Kemptzen gave Kantzows death the chronicle in a new version under the title " Pomerania " out. According to the judgment of the historian Roderich Schmidt does this, unlike previously assumed, which essentially still on Kantzow themselves back; representing a " new version represents the Kantzow himself has given his work".