Willibald Pirkheimer (1470-1530), a Humanist, one of the outstanding leaders in the active intellectual and religious life of Nürnberg, Germany. At the beginning of the Reformation he sided with Lu­ther, but in 1524 returned to the Catholic Church. When Hans Denck was made rector of the school of St. Sebaldus upon recommendation of Oecolampadius, he must certainly have come in contact with Pirkheimer. There is no informa­tion on the matter. In Denck's dispute with An­dreas Osiander, Pirkheimer took the latter's side. He wrote an unfavorable opinion concerning Denck to Basel. Oecolampadius wrote two letters to Pirkheimer, 26 February and 25 April  1525, to de­fend his recommendation of Denck to the rectorate of the school of St. Sebaldus.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 182. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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