Gompe, Nikolaus (also Nikolaus von Rauenthal)

Protestant theologian

Born: around 1524/25 in Rauenthal (Rheingau)

died: 04.10.1595 in Wiesbaden

After studying in Mainz and Heidelberg, Gompe was awarded a bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Philosophy in 1543. Under the influence of Luther's Reformation, he continued his studies at Marburg and Wittenberg Universities from 1545, preached a trial sermon in Wiesbaden in 1545 and became a pastor in Erbenheim in 1546.

In 1548, he fought against the Augsburg Interim, Emperor Charles V's attempt to forcefully enforce confessional unity through re-Catholicization: "But where this opinion of ours cannot be accepted by grace, ... we ask your grace to graciously let us pass with our wives and children, as well as our possessions and poverty, without hindrance." As a result, Gompe was expelled from Erbenheim by the Archbishop of Mainz in 1549/50.

On the recommendation of Philipp Melanchthon, he became a deacon in Freienwalde/Pomerania. In 1553, Philipp I zu Nassau-Idstein (1490-1558), "the old lord", appointed him court preacher and head of the church in Idstein. He was responsible for the Protestant church order for the county of Nassau-Idstein-Wiesbaden, which was also largely applied in the county of Saarbrücken. It followed the influential Nuremberg church order written by Andreas Osiander (1498-1552) in 1533. Together with his companions Albrecht Dürer, Willibald Pirckheimer, Hans Sachs and others, Osiander had pushed through the Reformation in Nuremberg from 1522.

From 1564, Gompe worked in Wiesbaden, first as a pastor, then as a church inspector in the dominion of Wiesbaden.