Johannes Praetorius (latinization of Hans Schultz; also called Praetorius Zeitlingensis to differentiate him from others with the same pen name; October 22, 1630, Zethlingen – October 25, 1680, Leipzig) was a German writer and historian.
Praetorius attended school in Salzwedel and at the Gymnasium in Halle (Saale), then enrolled at the University of Leipzig, where he studied the natural sciences and obtained the Magister degree in 1653. He remained affiliated with the university until his death, studying texts at the Paulinum.
Praetorius occasionally gave lectures, but spent the bulk of his time writing and compiling literary works, including compendia of fairy tales and legends. He is well known for collecting folk tales of the Rübezahl.
Under the name Prophulidor, he belonged to the Elbschwanenorden, which promoted the Protestant confession.[1]
