Introduction

Biography

Johann was the broth­er of hym­nist An­na Nitsch­mann.

He went to the Mo­ra­vi­an set­tle­ment at Herrn­hut in 1725. In 1726, Count von Prom­nitz took him in­to the or­phan­age at Sor­au, and in 1728 sent him to study theo­lo­gy at Halle.

In 1731, he be­came a tu­tor to the or­phan­age at Herrn­hut, then in 1732 went to Halle to stu­dy me­di­cine. He re­turned to Herrn­hut in 1733, and spent a year as pri­vate sec­re­tary to Zin­zen­dorf.

Thereafter, up to 1745, he was prin­ci­pal­ly en­gaged in mis­sion work in Swed­ish Lap­land, and in form­ing com­mu­ni­ties in Li­von­ia.

In 1745, he was ap­point­ed di­a­co­nus and Ge­mein­hel­fer at Herrn­haag, Wet­ter­a­via, and in 1750 to the same po­si­tion at Herr­nhut.

He be­came bishop of the Breth­ren’s Un­i­ty in 1758, and in 1761 su­per­in­ten­dent of the com­mu­ni­ties in Eng­land and Ire­land. In 1766, he was put in charge of the new set­tle­ment of Sa­rep­ta on the Vol­ga, Rus­sia.