Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt was part of the duchy of Bavaria and the seat of the Bavarian State University founded in 1472, at which Johannes Eck (1486–1543) exercised great influence. Eck was professor and dean of the theological faculty and pastor of Saint Maurice. He campaigned with the pope and with the Bavarian dukes for a harsh conduct against Martin Luther (1483–1546) and for the fight against reformatory doctrine. During Eck’s tenure, the University of Ingolstadt developed into a counterpart to the University of Wittenberg.
Georg Hauer (1484–1536) also played an important role in the defence against Protestantism at Ingolstadt. He was professor of canonical law and rector of the University of Ingolstadt as well as parish priest of the Church of Our Lady. From 1525 onwards, he served in exchange with Eck as priest of Saint Maurice. Under the chairmanship of Hauer, the bull against Luther, which Eck co-authored, was read out solemnly at the university on 29 October 1520. Luther’s writings were subsequently confiscated and, from then on, they were subject to censorship.
Based on the first Bavarian religious mandate of 5 March 1522, the university then took a stricter approach against university members who sympathised with the Reformation. They were expelled from the university and expelled from Bavaria or imprisoned, as happened for example to Magister Arsacius Seehofer (d. 1545). Reformatory attitudes within the citizenry came to light as well and the city council took action against these. Ingolstadt remained Catholic – as happened in all ducal Bavarian cities.