Schirmer, Michael

Schirmer, Michael a Lutheran minister, was born at Leipsic in 1606. In 1636 he was called as master of the Grayfriars' Grammar school at Berlin, where he died May 4, 1673. On account of his many troubles, he was called "the German Job." He is the author of some hymns, the most popular of which is his O heil'ger Geist kehr'bei uns ein (Engl. transl. in Choral Book for England, No. 70, "O Holy Spirit, enter in"). See Dieterich, Berlinische Kloster- und Schul-Historie (Berlin, 1752); Bachmann, M. Schirmer nach seinem Leben u. Dichten (ibid. 1859); Koch, Gesch. des deutschen Kirchenliedes, 3, 333 sq.: 8, 8, 92; Knapp, Evangel. Liederschatz, p. 1343. (B.P.)