GEILER, JOHANNES OF KAYSERSBERG. - Popular preacher of the pre-Reformation period, b. at Schaffhausen on 16 March 1445; d. at Strasbourg on 10 March 1510. Having completed his philosophical and theological studies at Freiburg im Breisgau, he was, from 1478 until his death, entrusted with preaching in the cathedral of Strasbourg, where a special pulpit was erected for him.

Drawing inspiration from the doctrine of Gerson, whose works he had published (3 vols., Strasbourg 1510), he branded with fire and without pity the deviations and vices of his age, sparing no one — neither bishops nor prelates, nor the secular and regular clergy, nor the powerful or the humble. And this in a style all his own, lively, original, beginning with the titles of his sermons, greatly relished by the crowd, rich in examples and images (following and commenting on the work of his friend Sebastian Brant, Narrenschiff, of which he had produced the Latin version [ibid. 1498]); but also too pungent and sarcastic, satirical and even buffoonish. Attempts were made to pass him off as a precursor of the "reformation," because many "reformers" made lavish use of his attacks on the Church and the clergy; in reality he always remained a devoted and obedient son of the Church, austere in life, generous with the poor and the sick. To him is due the establishment in Strasbourg of a hospital for syphilitics, neglected by all. His reputation for learning and virtue attracted the attention of the emperor Maximilian, who would have wanted him at his side; but G. never wished to leave Strasbourg.

His posthumous glory is due not so much to the popular form of his sermons as to the fact that their content constitutes a nearly inexhaustible source for the history and customs of the clergy and the people. He was buried at the foot of the pulpit from which he had lavished his teaching.

He wrote: Seelenparadies (Strasbourg 1510); Das irrig Schiff (ibid. 1510); Das Buch Granatapfel (ibid. 1510); Das Schiff der Pönitenten (ibid. 1514); Die Emeis (ibid. 1516), a collection of his sermons.

Bibliography8 works

BIBL.: Works: almost all his sermons were published from the notes he drafted, or collected by editors: Ph. de Lorenzi, Ausgewählte Schriften, 4 vols., Trier 1881-82; L. Dachaux, Die älteste Schriften G's, Colmar 1882; A. Hoch, G's « Ars moriendi », Freiburg im Breisgau 1890. - Studies: J. Janssen, Gesch. des deutschen Volkes seit dem Ausgang des Mittelalters, I, Freiburg im Breisgau 1876, passim; L. Dachaux, Un réformateur catholique à la fin du XVe siècle, Paris 1876; W. Lindemann, J. G. von Kayserberg, ein kath. Reformator am Ende des XV. Jahrh., Freiburg im Breisgau 1887; J. G. Muller, s. v. in Kirchenlex, V (1888), coll. 188-195; L. Pfleger, s. v. in LThK, IV (1932), coll. 340-41; J. Breitenstein, Die Autorschaft der G. von K. zugeschriebenen « Emeis », in New Arch. für elsässische Kirchengesch., 15 (1941-42), pp. 176-198. Celestino Totone

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Geiler, Johannes of Kaysersberg

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