Fritsche Closener

Fritsche (Friedrich) Closener (died before 11 March 1373) was a priest and historian of Strasbourg. His work was one of the first vernacular city chronicles, a type that became very common in Germany in the century that followed.[1]

Fritsche's father was Sifrid, a burger of Strasbourg, and his mother was Margareta Spirer. From 1343 Fritsche was the custodian of the Marienaltar in Strasbourg Cathedral, where later he served as vicar of the large choir. In 1358 he received the prestigious prebend of Saint Catherine's Chapel.[2]

His most famous work is his Chronicle,[lower-alpha 1] written in High German and connecting the history of his city, its region and its bishops with the wider world of the Empire. He says that he finished this work on 8 July 1362, the same day an earthquake struck Strasbourg.[1] His sources included Martin von Troppau, a version of the Sächsische Weltchronik and the Bellum Waltherianum of his predecessor, Ellenhard of Strasbourg, which he translated and incorporated.[2]

Fritsche also compiled a German–Latin dictionary, the Vocabularium seu nomenclator, and a now lost order of worship for Strasbourg Cathedral around 1364, Directorium chori.[2]

Notes
  1. Kronika aller der bebeste und aller der romeschen keisere, die sit Cristus gebürte sint gewesen[2]
  1. Hegel 1876.
  2. Gerber 1957.

Sources
  • Gerber, Harry (1957). "Closener, Fritsche". Neue Deutsche Biographie. 3. pp. 294–95.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hegel, Karl von (1876). "Closener, Fritsche". Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. 4. p. 341.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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