Johann Christoph von Ponickau

Johann Christoph von Ponickau (21 March 1652 – 31 October 1726), was a counselor and chamberlain at the Dresden court of the elector of Saxony.

Early life
Ponickau was born on 21 March 1652 into the Ponickau family family. He owned several estates, including the Rittergut in Pomßen near Leipzig.

Career
He was a counselor and chamberlain at the Dresden court of the elector of Saxony, who was at the same time King of Poland (Königlich-polnischer und kurfürstlich-sächsischer Rat). Ponickau was also head (Stiftshauptmann) of the Kollegiatstift Wurzen.

Personal life
Ponickau was married to Eleonora Elisabeth von Bernstein. One of their children:


 * Johanne Eleonore Caroline von Poickau, who married Friedrich Carl von Pöllnitz in Altenburg on 14 December 1727.

Ponickau died in Pomßen on 31 October 1726 at age 74. A memorial service was held for him at the Wehrkirche Pomßen on 6 February 1727, for which Johann Sebastian Bach composed a cantata, Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, BWV 157, for which Ponickau had selected the scripture text on which it is based.