Title: Martin Luther | The German Way & More
Headings: Martin Luther
Martin Luther
German Protestant Religious Reformer (“Der Reformator”)
Next | Religion in Germany

Content: But the Reformation that Luther had set in motion was soon radicalized and began to cause unrest and violence. The German Peasants War – Deutscher Bauernkrieg (1524-1526)
The peasants Luther had encouraged were soon engaged in rebellion and violence in his name. The widespread burning of convents, monasteries, bishops’ palaces, and libraries in Thuringia particularly enraged Luther. His response was published in a pamphlet entitled “Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants” ( Wider die mörderischen Rotten der Bauern ). Written after his return to Wittenberg, the pamphlet explained his teachings, condemned the violence as the devil’s work, and called for the nobles to put down the rebellion. The Luther Rose or Luther Seal symbolizes the Lutheran faith. The peasant revolts (which were not limited to just farmers and peasants) had spread like wildfire before being diminished by Luther’s condemnation. Estimates of the number of people killed in the uprisings range from 75,000 to 130,000. Very few of the revolts led to the political, religious and economic reforms the people wanted. Feudalism and monarchial rule would last centuries longer in Germany and Europe.