In 1339, the University of Heidelberg was founded in Germany, becoming one of the oldest universities in the country and a significant center for learning in Europe. This institution played a crucial role in the development of higher education and the spread of knowledge during the late medieval period. The establishment of universities like Heidelberg fostered an environment where literature, philosophy, and the arts could flourish, directly impacting the poetic traditions of the time.

The University of Heidelberg attracted many scholars and poets, contributing to the intellectual climate that would later influence the German Renaissance. Poets such as Johannes von Tepl, who was associated with the university, began to explore new themes and forms in their works, paving the way for the evolution of German poetry and literature in the following centuries.