Topics: Boy Meets Boy (TV series) - Wikipedia
Johannes Kepler was born in the town of Weil der Stadt, Germany, on 27 December 1571. Johannes was a very small boy who was frequently ill. At the age of three years he contracted smallpox and lingered close to death for several months. His childhood was also unsettled and unhappy. His father was a mercenary soldier who was away from home for long periods, sometimes years at a time.
When Johannes’ mother went away to be with her husband, Johannes was left with his grandfather. The separation from his parents was distressing for Johannes, but God blessed him during these years. His grandfather, a dedicated Christian, encouraged young Johannes as his faith grew. Although poor, Johannes’ grandfather appreciated the value of education and sent Johannes to school. The boy’s outstanding academic ability soon came to the attention of his teachers.
Heinrich was not interested in paying fees to send his son to school. Instead he saw Johannes as a cheap source of labour in the inn, so Heinrich made his son leave school. However, business at the inn later declined and Johannes’ help was not really needed. With his former teachers’ encouragement, Johannes successfully obtained a scholarship from the Duke of Württemberg to enable him to continue his schooling. Johannes’ drunken father reluctantly allowed him to return to school.