GIACOMO di JÜTERBOG. - Born in 1381 in the vicinity of Jüterbog near Berlin, the son of a poor peasant; his name was Benedetto Stolzenhagen. At the age of twenty he became a monk in the Cistercian abbey of Paradies near Frankfurt an Oder (hence the nickname G. de Paradiso). He was sent to the University of Cracow, where he rose to the rank of reader and university preacher (whence he was called de Polonia). In 1441 he entered the Charterhouse of Erfurt (hence he was called de Carthusia, de Clusa, Erfordiensis). He carried out his activity at the University of Erfurt as a professor of canon law and was rector in 1455. Died around 1465.
G. was an ardent supporter of the Reformation and of conciliar principles, in which he saw the reform itself guaranteed. In addition to sermons and reformist writings, he produced treatises on questions of dogmatics, moral theology, ascetics, and canon law. The simplicity of his language reveals the influence of humanism. The Vita of G. by Wolrad is not published in full.
Of his numerous writings (approx. eighty) a complete edition is lacking. For what of his works was published in incunabula cf. Hain, De erroribus et moribus Christianorum (also in E. Jacob, Joh. von Capestrone, II, Breslau 1911, p. 283 ff.); Petitiones religiosorum (in E. Klupfel, Vetus biblioth. ecc., Freiburg 1780, pp. 146-69); De negligentia praelatorum (in Chr. F. W. Walch, Monumenta inedita medii aevi, II, Göttingen 1764, p. 67); Avisamentum ad papam (in Klupfel, op. cit., pp. 134-45); De septem statibus ecclesiae (in Walch, op. cit., II, fasc. 2); De causis multarum passionum (in B. Pez, Biblioth. ascet., VII, Regensburg 1725, pp. 389-444); De indulgentiis ([De anno iubilaei], in Walch, op. cit., II, fasc. 2, p. 163).