Born: September 17, 1721, Meissen, Saxony.
Died: September 16, 1793, Hanover, Germany.
Johann was the son of Dr. Johann Friedrich Schlegel, Appellationsrath at Meissen.
He attended school in Pforta (near Naumburg), then at the University of Leipzig, where he became acquainted with Cramer, Gellert, and Klopstock. While there, he was one of the principal contributors to the popular literary journal Neu Beyträge zum Vergnügen des Verstandes und Witzes.
In 1746, he became a private tutor at Strehla, Saxony, then returned to Leipzig, where he occupied himself in literary work.
In 1748, he went to live with his friend Cramer in Crellwitz, near Lützen. He stayed at Crellwitz until 1751, when he was appointed a master in his old school at Pforta, and also diaconus of the church there.
In 1754, he became chief pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Zerbst, and professor of Theology and Metaphysics in the Academic Gymnasium of that town.
He moved to Hanover in 1759 to become pastor of the Markt Kirche. In 1775, he moved to the Neustadt Church there as chief pastor, and also as Consistorialrath and Superintendent. While keeping his pastorate in Hanover, he was appointed, in 1782, as General Superintendent of the district of Hoya.
In 1787 he exchanged this for the post of General Superintendent of the Principality of Kalenberg.
The same year he received a DD degree at the Jubilee Festival of the University of Göttingen.
The literary world better remembers his sons, August Wilhelm and Friedrich von Schlegel.
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