Johann Martin Schleyer

Johann Martin Schleyer (; 18 July 183116 August 1912) was a German Catholic priest who invented the constructed language Volapük. His official name was "Martin Schleyer"; he added the name "Johann" (in honor of his godfather) unofficially.

Life and work

Schleyer was born in Oberlauda (Baden). According to his own report, the idea of an international language arose out of a conversation he had with one of his parishioners, a semi-literate German peasant whose son had emigrated to America and could no longer be reached by mail because the United States Postal Service could not read the father's handwriting.

He was ordained in 1856. From 1867 to 1875, Schleyer served as pastor at Krumbach near Meßkirch. At the end of this time he was jailed for four months for preaching against socialism during the Kulturkampf.

From 1875 to 1885 he was pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul parish in Litzelstetten.

In 1894 Pope Leo XIII made him a papal prelate. The high school Martin-Schleyer-Gymnasium Lauda-Königshofen in Lauda is named for him.