Poliander, Johann (Originally Granmann)

Poliander, Johann (Originally Granmann), a German theologian of the Reformation period, was born at Neustadt in 1487. He studied at Leipsic, where in 1516 he became magister, and in 1520 baccalaureate of theology. When the famous disputation between Dr. Eck and Luther and Carlstadt took place, he was Eck's amanuensis. The disputation convinced him of the truth of the evangelical doctrine, and in 1520 he commenced to preach in accordance with it. The consequence was that he had to leave Leipsic, and in 1522 went to Wittenberg. At the recommendation of Luther, the duke Albrecht of Prussia called Poliander to Koinigsberg, as pastor of the Altstadtkirche, where he remained until his death in 1541. Poliander is the author of the well-known hymn Nun lob' mein' Seel' den Herrn (Engl. transl. by Mills, 1iorce Germanicae, No. 75, p. 139, "Now to the Lord sing praises"). See Koch, Gesch. des deutschen Kirchenliedes, 1, 355 sq,; Theologisches Universal-Lexikon, s.v.; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 12, 18-20. (B. P.)