In the period 1614–1618, Altdorf was briefly the centre of
Socinianism in Germany. Encouraged by the connections of German
Antitrinitarians to the
Racovian Academy in Poland, German and Polish
Socinians attempted to establish in Altdorf a similar Academy. Among the notable Socinian students was the 26-year-old
Samuel Przypkowski. He was admitted as student on March 22, 1614, three weeks after
Thomas Seget, but was expelled from Altdorf in 1616 "Crypto-Socinianism" was widely suspected among the student body. In January 1617 the syndicus Jacob Weigel brought two students Joachim Peuschel and Johann Vogel back to Altdorf and the college made them give a public recantation. This recantation was answered by
Valentin Schmalz, one of the German professors of the Academy in Poland. Notable instructors include
Hugues Doneau,
Scipione Gentili, and
Daniel Schwenter. Notable students include later imperial field marshals
Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583–1634) and
Gottfried Heinrich zu Pappenheim (1594–1632);
Generalfeldwachtmeister Hans Ulrich von Schaffgotsch (1595–1635); the polymath
Johann Schreck (1576–1630); the composers
Wolfgang Carl Briegel (1626–1712) and
Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706); and the theologian
David Caspari (1648–1702). The
polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716), perhaps most famous for co-discovering
calculus, received his
Dr. jur. from the University of Altdorf in 1666. After the
University of Leipzig refused to grant him the degree, likely on account of his relative youth. == See also ==