He was born Nicolaus Bauckhe at
Grottkau,
Silesia, then a part of the
Holy Roman Empire. His father, Sebastian, was a craftsman and his mother's name was Anna. He graduated school in
Nysa and in the years 1627–1633 attended the
Jesuit academy in
Olomouc and studied classics at
Neisse and from 1627 to 1633,
philosophy and
theology at Olomouc. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1633 he was assigned to pastoral duty at Neisse. When the Swedes captured the city in 1642, Rostock was taken prisoner and deported to
Stettin. After his release he was ennobled by the Emperor, but remained pastor of Neisse until his transfer in 1649 to the cathedral of Breslau (
Wrocław), where he spent the rest of his life. Henceforth he played a prominent part in the administration of the diocese, and in 1653 was appointed vicar-general. It was largely through his efforts that the right of reformation (
jus reformandi), granted the emperor by the
Peace of Westphalia, was effectively exercised in the territory of Breslau. In all 656 Catholic churches which had been seized by the Protestants were restored to their former owners. he was himself elected bishop, and shortly after the civil administration of the district was also placed in his hands. He continued in work of Catholic reorganization, endeavoured to suppress the power of the Protestants over affairs of the Catholic Church and to neutralize the anti-Catholic influence of Protestant teachers. As a bishop, he tried to recover Catholic
churches taken by
Protestants, improve the life and customs of the clergy, and improve education standards for priests. He died on 9 June 1671 in Breslau, and was buried in the
Wrocław Cathedral. He succumbed to an attack of apoplexy, superinduced by an imperial decree which suspended a decision that had been previously granted and which was favourable to Catholic interests. ==References==