Johann Jakob Breitinger (Antistes)

Johann Jakob Breitinger studied in Herborn, Marburg, Franeker, Leiden, Heidelberg und Basel.

As the sixth successor to Zwingli in the leadership of the Zürich Church, he introduced a day of prayer and was known for his sermons, in which he reprimanded foreign military service, bribery, buying offices and national debt.

[3] He promoted elementary school, Sunday children's teaching and church singing in town and country and campaigned for poor relief and welfare.

After the initially negative attitude of the clergy, Breitinger was sent to the Dordrecht Synod (1618-19)[6] as a delegate representing Zürich, following the intercession of the Dutch diplomat Peter von Brederode and his support by Professor Caspar Waser.

He saw in the Catholic towns and the counter-reformation Habsburg Austria a danger for the reformed Zürich and advocated the modernization of the defense system and the construction of a new, third city fortification.