Heinrich Sudermann was an official of the Hanseatic League

Hanseatic League

The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...

 from Cologne

Cologne

Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...

. When the post of Syndic

Syndic

Syndic , a term applied in certain countries to an officer of government with varying powers, and secondly to a representative or delegate of a university, institution or other corporation, entrusted with special functions or powers.The meaning which underlies both applications is that of...

was created in 1556, Sudermann was elected as permanent official with legal training who worked to protect and extend the diplomatic agreements of the Hansa member towns. In 1557 and 1579, revised agreements spelled out the duties of towns and some progress was made.