Johann Jacob Zimmermann

Johann Jacob Zimmermann (November 25, 1642 – 1693) was a German nonconformist theologian, millenarian, mathematician, and astronomer.

Life

Zimmermann was born in Vaihingen, Württemberg (now Germany) on November 25, 1642. He lived in Nürtingen, and studied theology at the University of Tübingen, where he was awarded the title Magister in 1664. An astronomer and astrologer, Zimmermann produced one of the first Equidistant Conic Projection star charts of the northern hemisphere in 1692. While at University, he also was a singing instructor. As a testimony to his importance as a scientific writer, the work was reprinted in Hamburg in 1706 and 1736. While in Hamburg, Zimmermann also gradually attracted like-minded religious dissenters who were dissatisfied with the intolerance of the religious establishment. In 1693 a group of around 40 people left Hamburg to emigrate to the New World.

Zimmermann died as the group of eleven families were preparing to travel from Rotterdam. His disciple Johannes Kelpius was elected to take Zimmermann's title of magister, leading "the Hamburg Group" (including Zimmermann's widow) to an area near Wissahickon Creek, Pennsylvania. Here they established a religious community which, while still famed in local legend, dissolved shortly after Kelpius' death in the early eighteenth century.

Zimmermann is mentioned (as "Mr. Zimmerman") in Book 3 of Isaac Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687 (on p. 505) as having observed the Great Comet of 1680.

Johann Jacob Zimmermann believed a person's close relationship with God was more important than having a close relationship with the church, believing most, if not all, of the churches in Europe were corrupt. He believed the wonders in the sky were signs of the end times, and felt a change would occur in 1693. Instead, Zimmermann died in 1693 at the age of 50. An old German letter stated that Zimmermann died en route to America and was buried in Rotterdam. It also stated that the writer of the letter had begged Zimmermann not to go.

Legacy Josh Groban, singer, is the 8 times great-grandson of Johan Zimmerman.