Michael Franck

Michael Franck (16 March 1609 – 24 September 1667) was a German baker, teacher, poet, composer and Protestant hymnwriter. He was born in Schleusingen, and died in Coburg.

Franck initially established a career as a baker. Although he was fairly successful, "he became completely impoverished, because of nocturnal thefts and plunders of his house". He moved to Coburg and began teaching. There, he also wrote hymns and poems.

Franck's hymns have been incorporated into compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann.

Franck's hymn "Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig" was the base for Bach's chorale cantata Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig, BWV 26.