Editing Joachim Neander (section)

== Life ==
Joachim Neander was born in [[Bremen]], the son of a [[Latin]] teacher. His grandfather, a musician, had changed the family name from the original German ''Neumann'' ('New man' in English) to the Graeco-Roman form ''Neander'',<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Neander, Joachim |volume=19 |pages=320–321}}</ref> following the fashion of the time. After the death of his father, he could not afford to study at a famous university. He therefore studied [[theology]] in his hometown from 1666 to 1670. At first, his heart was not in it. It was only when he heard a sermon of [[Theodor Undereyk]] (shortly before the end of his course) that his beliefs became serious.

In 1671 he became a private tutor in [[Heidelberg]], and in 1674 he became a teacher in a Latin school in [[Düsseldorf]], one step before becoming a minister. While living there, he liked to go to the nearby valley of the [[Düssel]] river, nature being the inspiration for his poems. He also held gatherings and services in the valley, at which he gave [[sermon]]s. The [[Neandertal (valley) | Neandertal]] valley (originally ''Neanderthal'', from German ''Thal'' for "valley," now spelled ''Tal'', though both ''t'' and ''th'' represent a ''t''-sound) was renamed in his honor in the early 19th century.

In 1679, Neander became a [[pastor]] of St Martin’s church in [[Bremen]],<ref name=EB1911/> as his popularity with the common people had caused problems with the church administration in Düsseldorf. One year later, at the age of 30, he died of [[tuberculosis]].