Jonas Bretkūnas

Jonas Bretkūnas, Johann(es) Bretke, also known as Bretkus (born 1536 in Bammeln near Friedland – 1602 Königsberg was a Lutheran pastor and was one of the best known developers of the written Lithuanian language.

Jonas Bretkūnas, Johann(es) Bretke was born in Bammeln (now in Pravdinsky District) in the Duchy of Prussia (a fief of Poland) in 1536.

The language spoken in the area was primarily German, while Jonas Bretkūnas' mother tongues were Old Prussian and Lithuanian.

In 1544, Duke Albrecht, had founded the Albertina University in Königsberg (Karaliaučius) and the area became one of the centers of learning for the neighboring peoples of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, none of them had bibles in their language up to that time.

In 1589, he published several new works, in particular "Giesmes duchaunos" (Spiritual Hymns), based on Martynas Mažvydas' works, as well as a small collection of hymns called "Kancionalas netukriu giesmiu", and a prayer book translation from German into Lithuanian "Kollectas", all printed by Georg Osterberg of Königsberg.

Bible Translators Theologians Examples of surviving manuscripts or books can be found in Germany, Lithuania and Sweden.

In 2002, in order to commemorate his translation, the original manuscripts of his Bible was brought to Lithuania from Germany, insured for more than 2,3 million euro.