When the Bridgettine monastery redeemed the labor and tax obligations weighing on its houses and yards in the Hakelwerk in 1449, mention is made not only of the Prevenergasse (today's Kleine Nonnengasse) but also of the "kleyne gasse hynder unserer prevener huser" (little lane behind our Bridgettine houses). This can hardly refer to anything other than the Professorgasse.

Until 1653, the lane was merely a branch off the Kagelzippel — today's Katharinenkirchensteig — which ended as a cul-de-sac. From there, only a narrow passage led across the St. Catherine churchyard. In the aforementioned year, the fathers of the Bridgettine monastery were permitted to create a free passage for entry and exit in place of this narrow path, in exchange for a piece of St. Catherine's burial garden.

These fathers, who had taken the "Profess" (monastic vows) and were therefore called "Professen," gave rise to the lane's name, which appears in its present form on maps since the end of the 18th century.

History