The family and youth of Winter von Andernach are not well known. He probably came from a poor family and attended the town school in Andernach, then part of the Electorate of Cologne. He left his hometown in 1517 as a teenager. He had a sharp mind, was very curious and was always looking to increase his knowledge. He later moved to Utrecht, where he studied Art and ancient Greek. Here he met Lambert van den Hove. He also met John III, Duke of Cleves, who will later become his patron. He died, aged about 69, in Strasbourg.
Name
Johann Winter von Andernach, so called because he was born in Andernach, experienced many variations of his name throughout his life. When the name "Winter" was translated into Italian and Latin, the "W" was replaced by "Gue" or the "Wi" replaced by "Gui," giving rise to the name "Guenther" and all of its derivatives. Since "Guenther" or "Gunter" was and is a well known German name, it was considered his real name. Thus Johann Winter is known by the following names:
in Germany: Johann Winter, Johann Winter von Andernach, Johannes Winther, Johann Gwynther von Andernach
in France: Gonthier d’Andernach, Jehan Guinter d’Andernach
in Italy: Ioannes Guinterius Andernacus, Guenter Andernacus
in Latin: Guintherus Andernacus, Ioannes Guinterius Andernacus, Ioan Guinteri' Andernac
Other variations are "Johann Guenther von Andernach", "Johann Günther of Andernach", "Johann Guinterus von Andernach ". In addition, he also had a kind of pen name - Ionas Philologus, Johann the philologist.
* De anatomicis administrationibus. 9 vols, Paris, 1531.
* De Hippocratis et Platonis placitis. Paris, 1534.
* Anatomicarum institutionum, secundum Galeni sententiam. 4 vols, Paris and Basel, 1536; Venice, 1538; Padua, 1558.
* Clavdii Galeni Pergameni Medicorvm Omnivm Ferè principis opera, nunc demum a clarissimis et eruditis viris latinitate donata, iam vero ordine justo, et studio exquisito re in lucem recens edita. Quibus, ut solidae veraeque medicinae, non poenitendam operam olim indulsisse iuvabit. Basel, Cratander 1529; 27 Galen texts into Latin by 9 different translators including Johann Winter as "Ionas Phil."
Opus de re medica 7 vols., Paris, 1532; translated from the Greek into Latin.
Institutiones anatomicae. Paris, 1536, 4 vols, standard work for physicians
De victus ed medicinae ratione cum alio tum pestilentiae tempore observanda commentarius. Strasbourg 1542; composed under the direction of the Strasbourg city council, French by Antoine Pierre 1544, of Winter 1547 in the title
Instruction très utile par laquelle un chacun se pourra maintenir en santé, tant au temps de peste, comme autre temps. Strasbourg 1544 and 1547; in German
* Sehr praktische Anweisung, durch die ein jeder sich gesund halten kann, besonders in Pestzeiten wie in anderen Zeiten.
Bericht, Regiment, und Ordnung wie die Pestilenz und die pestilenzialische Fieber zu erkennen und zu kurieren. Strasbourg, 1564
Bericht und Ordnung in disen sterbenden leuffen der Pestilentz, auf befelch eines ersamen Rahts der Statt Straßurg. Gestellet durch Johann Gwynther von Andernach. Strasbourg, Rihel, 1564.
De pestilentia commentarius in quatuor dialogos distinctus. Strasbourg, 1565.
De medicina veteri et nova tum cognoscenda tum faciunda commentarij duo. Basel: Ex Officina Henricpetrina, 1571.