Johannes Pauli
Encyclopedia
Johannes Pauli was a German Franciscan
writer.
rejected the story that he was of Jewish descent, and had been baptised at an early age, taking the name of Johannes Pauli from his godfather.
Pauli became Master of Arts in Strasburg
, entered the Franciscans (the "Barefooted"), and delivered his first sermon in Thann
in 1479. Two years later, he was sent to the convent at Oppenheim
; in 1504 the conventual monastery at Bern desired him as a guardian. He held the same office in Strasburg 1506-10; in 1516 he is mentioned as preacher in Schlettstadt; later in Villingen in the Black Forest
, and finally in Thann.
His own work, which assured him a lasting place in German literature, is the collection of farces and humorous stories "Schimpf (Scherz) und Ernst". This a genuine "folk book", written in an easy and plain style, filled with humour and pointed satire, intended to instruct while it amused. "He did not desire," as Georg Rollenhagen says in his preface to "Froschmäusler", "to make people laugh without teaching them something; his book was like the old legends and sagas, full of fabulous happenings and incidents, but written so that in them, as in a comedy, there are combined with poetry and imagination the plain, unvarnished, bitter truths of life, worded so as to tell serious things in a jocular manner, with a laugh and a smile."
Pauli drew his information from a variety of sources, and his farces became the inspiration of the later German poets, especially for Hans Sachs
. He exercised a wide influence upon the culture of the whole century.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
writer.
Life
What little is known of his life rests upon unreliable information. Ludwig von PastorLudwig von Pastor
Ludwig Pastor, later Ludwig von Pastor, Freiherr von Campersfelden , was a German historian and a diplomat for Austria. He became one of the most important Roman Catholic historians of his time and is most notable for his History of the Popes...
rejected the story that he was of Jewish descent, and had been baptised at an early age, taking the name of Johannes Pauli from his godfather.
Pauli became Master of Arts in Strasburg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, entered the Franciscans (the "Barefooted"), and delivered his first sermon in Thann
Thann
Thann is the name of:* Arrondissement of Thann** Thann, Haut-Rhin** Bitschwiller-lès-Thann* Thann , a Katastralgemeinde in Niederösterreich, Austria* Thann , a Katastralgemeinde in Niederösterreich, Austria...
in 1479. Two years later, he was sent to the convent at Oppenheim
Oppenheim
Oppenheim is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is well known as a wine town, the site of the German Winegrowing Museum and particularly for the wines from the Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen vineyards.- Location :...
; in 1504 the conventual monastery at Bern desired him as a guardian. He held the same office in Strasburg 1506-10; in 1516 he is mentioned as preacher in Schlettstadt; later in Villingen in the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
, and finally in Thann.
Works
Prompted by his acquaintance with Geiler of Kaisersberg, he published in 1515 "Das Evangelienbuch"; in 1516 "Die Emeis, Buch von der Omeissen"; in 1517 "Die Brösamlin Geilers"; in 1520 "Das Narrenschiff, aus dem Latein ins Deutsch gebracht".His own work, which assured him a lasting place in German literature, is the collection of farces and humorous stories "Schimpf (Scherz) und Ernst". This a genuine "folk book", written in an easy and plain style, filled with humour and pointed satire, intended to instruct while it amused. "He did not desire," as Georg Rollenhagen says in his preface to "Froschmäusler", "to make people laugh without teaching them something; his book was like the old legends and sagas, full of fabulous happenings and incidents, but written so that in them, as in a comedy, there are combined with poetry and imagination the plain, unvarnished, bitter truths of life, worded so as to tell serious things in a jocular manner, with a laugh and a smile."
Pauli drew his information from a variety of sources, and his farces became the inspiration of the later German poets, especially for Hans Sachs
Hans Sachs
Hans Sachs was a German meistersinger , poet, playwright and shoemaker.-Biography:Hans Sachs was born in Nuremberg . His father was a tailor. He attended Latin school in Nuremberg...
. He exercised a wide influence upon the culture of the whole century.