July 23, 1562 Götz von Berlichingen (also known as Götz of the Iron Hand) dies at Hornberg Castle. He was a German (Franconian) Imperial Knight (Reichsritter) and mercenary. He was born around 1480 into the noble family of Berlichingen in Württemberg. Götz bought Hornberg castle (Neckarzimmern) in 1517, and lived there until his death in 1562. … [Read more...]

July 22, 1784 Birth of Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784-1846) in Minden, Germany. An astronomer, Bessel measured the position of 50,000 stars and developed the first system of measuring the distance of stars. The asteroid 1552 Bessel was named in his honor. July 22, 1809 Death of the poet, Detlev Liliencron in Alt-Rahlstedt (near … [Read more...]

July 21, 1816 Birth of Paul Freiherr von Reuter in Kassel. He was the founder of a news agency, Reuters, which is still in a leading position globally. Born of Jewish heritage, Israel Beer Josaphat, he changed his name in 1845 when he became a Christian. On February 25, 1999, the Reuters News Agency commemorated the 100th anniversary of the … [Read more...]

July 20, 1839 Birth of the pathologist, Julius Cohnheim, in Demmin, Prussia. He worked with the effects of tuberculosis on tissue. July 20, 1847 Birth of the artist, Max Liebermann, in Berlin, Germany. He was a leader in the German impressionist period. July 20, 1850 Birth of Georg Müller in Grimma, Germany. Müller was a … [Read more...]

July 19, 1698 Birth of Johann Bodmer in Greifensee, Switzerland. Bodmer was a historian and literary critic who made substantial contribution to the development of an original German literature in Switzerland. July 19, 1870 France declares war on Prussia opening the Franco-Prussian War which would end in 1871. July 19, … [Read more...]

July 18, 1066 Death of St. Answer. St. Answer (ca. 1035 – 1066) was born in the far north of Germany in the area which is now the state of Schleswig-Holstein. He was a Benedictine monk who undertook missionary work among the pagans to the East of his homeland. He was martyred by stoning in 1066 along with 28 of his fellow missionaries. He was … [Read more...]

July 17, 1048 The third German pope, Damasus II, is enthroned in Rome. Originally named Poppo, he was born in Bavaria. He was the Bishop of Brixen in Tyrol when Heinrich III nominated him as pope. He was enthroned as pope on July 17, 1048 but soon after arival in Rome contracted malaria and died after 23 days as pope. July 17, … [Read more...]

July 16, 1664 Death of Andreas Gryphius in Glogau, Germany (now Poland). Gryphius was one of the greatest of the German Baroque writers. Gryphius is noted for his poetry and his dramas. He is the author of Leo Armenius, Catharina von Georgien, Cardenio und Celinde and Herr Peter Squentz. July 16, 1876 Birth of Alfred Stock (July 16, … [Read more...]

July 15, 1291 Death of Rudolf I in Limburg-im-Breisgau, Germany. Rudolf was the first King of the Germans from the Habsburg dynasty. He was elected German king in Frankfurt am Main and crowned at Aachen on October 24, 1273. Pope Gregory X recognized the position only on the conditions that he would renounce any rights in Italy and lead a … [Read more...]

July 14, 1093 Death of St. Ulrich von Zell (1029 – 1083). St. Ulrich was born in Regensburg, Germany in 1029. He was educated in St. Emmeran. In entered the Abbey of Cluny (France) in 1061 and was ordained a priest. He then went out on a mission to spread the Cluny reforms. He founded the first Cluny priory in Bern, Switzerland. He then became … [Read more...]