Editing Christoph Hartknoch (section)

==Biography==
Hartknoch was born in [[Jabłonka, Szczytno County|Jablonken (Jabłonka)]] near [[Szczytno|Ortelsburg (Szczytno)]] in the [[Duchy of Prussia]]. In 1650 the family moved to [[Pasym|Passenheim (Pasym)]]<ref>Z. A. Janczewski, in: Mitteilungsblatt der deutschen Minderheit im Bezirk Ermland-Masuren, 2002 {{cite web |url=http://www.republika.pl/agdm/mit_inh_63_4.htm |title=Bekannte Persoenlichkeiten aus unserer Heimat: Christoph Hartknoch (1644-1687) |access-date=2008-04-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303044610/http://www.republika.pl/agdm/mit_inh_63_4.htm |archive-date=2006-03-03 }}</ref> and there witnessed the brutality and horrors of the [[Tatars|Tatar]] attacks, fighting for the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Kingdom of Poland]], in southern Prussia. His life was saved by his teacher, who shoved him out the window. Numerous villages in the region were destroyed, but Hartknoch made it to the ducal capital of [[Königsberg]].

In Königsberg Hartknoch started studying theology at a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] institute. Soon after his parents died and he had to take on jobs. He became a private teacher in [[Kaunas]] and then a rector in the Protestant school in [[Vilnius]]. He soon returned to Königsberg where books and records interested him in history.

[[Image:Torun Hartknoch.jpg|right|500px|thumb|Hartknoch features his last residence, the city of Thorn (Toruń), in his book ''Old and New Prussia'']]

In 1679 Hartknoch published a book about Prussian history, ''Old and New Prussia'', first in [[Latin]] and then in [[German language|German]], as well as a history of the church in Prussia. The works are accompanied by descriptions and illustrations of people, history, and culture, as well as copper etching illustrations of towns. He received ethnographical information from the priest [[Matthäus Prätorius]].

Hartknoch's work in the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]], Kaunas, and Vilnius awoke his interest in their history. He wrote a comprehensive work on the Commonwealth spanning 300 years, the first of its kind.

In 1677 the city of [[Toruń]] (Thorn) invited Hartknoch to become director at its [[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]], where he worked for ten years. Wearied by poverty, Hartknoch died and was buried there in 1687 at the age of 43.

Hartknoch's extensive scientific body of works contributed greatly to knowledge of Prussia, [[Pomerania]], [[Samogitia]], [[Courland]], and [[Poland]].