Johann Baptist Alzog

Johann Baptist Alzog (8 June 1808 – 1 March 1878) was a German theologian and Catholic church historian.

[1] He defended with ardour the Archbishop of that city, Martin von Dunin, during his persecution by the Prussian government, became vicar-capitular, professor and regens at Hildesheim in 1845, and in 1853 was appointed to the chair of church history at the University of Freiburg[1] (Breisgau); at the same time he was appointed an ecclesiastical councillor (geistlicher Rat).

Together with Ignaz von Döllinger, Alzog was instrumental in convoking the famous Munich assembly of Catholic scholars in 1863.

[1] Alzog's fame rests mainly on his Handbuch der Universal-Kirchengeschichte (Mainz, 1841, often reprinted under various titles;[1] English translation by Pabisch and Byrne, Manual of universal church history; 4 volumes, 1900).

[2] Besides a host of minor writings on ecclesiastical subjects, and an active collaboration in the great Kirchenlexicon of Wetzer and Welte, Alzog was also the author of Grundriss der Patrologie (Freiburg, 1866, 4th ed.