a Protestant Lutheran pastor, writer, historian and expert on vampires of the Enlightenment in Germany. A pastor's son, Michael Ranft was born in Güldengossa and went to school in Chemnitz. He then studied at University of Leipzig from 1720 and where he became bachelor of philosophy. In 1724 he graduated with a masters. From 1725 he was steward to the Vice President of the Court of Appeal von Berlepsch to Groditz. In 1727 master Michael Ranft became the successor of Friedrich Wilhelm Preuser in the diaconate of the city of Nebra. While Ranft was in the care of the diaconate station, the council of the city of Nebra promised that they would repair the apartment diaconate which was dilapidated. Nothing was done until 1732 so Ranft repeatedly complained to the Presbytery of Leipzig.
