WIMPINA, KONRAD KOCH, so called. — Theologian who took his name from Wimpfen on the Neckar, born in 1465, died on 17 May 1531 at Amorbach.
He studied at Leipzig from 1479. From Martino Polich, his teacher and a convinced Thomist, he learned to love philosophy. With the favor of Duke Giorgio il Barbuto, he was appointed rector (1494) and then dean (1495) of that city’s Faculty of Philosophy, and later vice-chancellor of the University. In the meantime, having entered the ecclesiastical state, he had also devoted himself to theology, obtaining his licentiate in 1502. From 1500 onward he engaged in a discussion with Polich concerning the relationship between poetry and theology, defending the supremacy of the latter over the former. In 1503 Cardinal Legate Raimondo Peraudi granted him the title of Doctor of Theology at Leipzig. In turn, a few weeks later, at Wittemberg, Polich too received his doctorate from Staupitz: a rivalry thus arose between the two Universities that was to continue for a long time. In 1505 W. was summoned by Elector Gioacchino of Brandenburg to found and govern the University of Frankfurt on the Oder. Among his pupils in 1518 was the preacher Giovanni Tetzel, with whom he later took part in the struggle against the Reformation. In 1518 he published a De divae Annae triumbo et trium filiarum eius asseveratione libri tres, in defense of the legend of the three Marys, daughters of s. Anna, against Giovanni Wildenauer.
When Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the church at Wittemberg on 31 October 1517, Tetzel, who was especially targeted, appealed to his teacher for a refutation, which he presented brilliantly at the University of Frankfurt on the Oder. The conference was printed and distributed in many copies, eight hundred of which were burned by the students of the University of Wittemberg, enthusiastic supporters of Luther. Luther had already recognized W. as the true author, and criticism too is unanimous in assigning it to him.
His principal work was: Sectarum, errorum, hallucinationum et schismatum... anacephaleseos (= the Reformation!) librorum partes tres (Frankfurt on the Oder 1528). In 1589 he collaborated in composing the Christian Institution against the Confession of M. Luther, the Catholic response to the 17 articles of Schwabach. The refutation of the Confession of Augsburg (1530) likewise required his assistance. W. remains a valuable witness to the first Catholic reaction to the Protestant reformation.