Ulrich was born at Ratisbon, Germany. He became a page at the court of Empress Agnes but opted for the religious life. He was ordained a deacon by his uncle, Bishop Notker of Freising, and became Archdeacon and provost of the Cathedral. When he found that his position had been filled while he was on a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem, he became a Benedictine monk at Cluny in 1052. He was ordained, was named chaplain to the nuns at Marcigny, but resigned when he lost the sight of an eye and then returned to Cluny. He served as Prior at Peterlingen, was founding Friar of Ruggersberg Priory, but returned to Cluny, when he opposed Bishop Burchard of Lausanne for his support of Henry IV against the Pope. He was founding Abbot of the monastery at Zell in the Black Forest and of a convent at nearby Bollschweil. He became totally blind in 1091 and died two years later, on July 10, at Augsburg. He was the author of Consuetudines cluniacences, on the liturgy and the direction of monasteries and novices. His feast day is July 14.