Gottfried von Hagenau

Gottfried von Hagenau (also known as Götz von Hagenau, Gozzo de Hagenowe, Goetz de Haguenau, Godefridus Haguenonensis, and several other names) was a medieval priest, physician, theologian and poet from Alsace. As his name suggests, he was probably born in Haguenau, before 1275. He died on 26 September 1313 and is buried in the church, where his ornate Gothic ledger stone is preserved to this day. That monument depicts him in clerical attire and holding a book; the inscription says (the letters in brackets are missing): ANNO D[OMI]NI MCCCXIII VI KA[LENDAS] OCTOBR[IS] O[BIIT] MAG[ISTE]R GOZ[ZO] DE HAGENOWE MEDICUS CANONICUS S[ANCTI] THOME ARG[EN]T[INENSIS]. The original manuscript of that work has been studied by Johann Michael Moscherosch in 1653. It was unfortunately destroyed, along with the Hortus deliciarum, when the municipal library of Strasbourg was burnt during the Siege of Strasbourg in 1870.

In 1307, Gottfried introduced the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the parish of St Thomas' Church, where it was celebrated until the church became Protestant in 1524. He donated his fortune to the parish for this purpose.