Johann Matthias Schröckh

Who was Johann Matthias Schröckh?

Johann Matthias Schröckh was an Austrian-German historian and literary scholar born in Vienna. He was a grandson to Pietist preacher Matthias Bel.

In 1751 he began his studies at the University of Göttingen, where he had as instructors, church historian Johann Lorenz von Mosheim and Orientalist Johann David Michaelis. He continued his education at the University of Leipzig, earning his masters degree in 1755. During the following year he received his habilitation, and in 1762 became an associate professor of philosophy. Later he relocated to the University of Wittenberg, where in 1775 he was appointed professor of history.

Known for his prodigious literary output, Schröckh was the author of acclaimed works involving universal history, church history, history books for children, biographical studies, et al. His main work involved the 35-volume Christliche Kirchengeschichte and its sequel Christliche Kirchengeschichte seit der Reformation, with the last two volumes being prepared by Heinrich Gottlieb Tzschirner.