Stäbler

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The Stäbler (also petty hawkers or community members ) were an Anabaptist movement in Moravia in the 16th century, which rejected any use of force and advocated strict pacifism . The Stäbler stood in opposition to the swordsmen group . Leading representatives of the Stäbler were among others Jakob Widemann and Philip Jäger .

history

Stäbler and Schwertler were among the first groups of Anabaptists in exile in the Moravian town of Nikolsburg and were based on a conflict between Balthasar Hubmaier and Hans Hut . While Balthasar Hubmaier advocated the right of the sword for self-defense and the introduction of war taxes, Hans Hut spoke out against all forms of violence and against war taxes. The conflict between the two groups finally led to the first schism of the still young Moravian Anabaptist movement. In the spring of 1528 around 200 Stäbler left the town of Nikolsburg under the leadership of Jakob Wiedemann and settled a short time later in Austerlitz , where the first Anabaptist Bruderhof was established.

The chronicler Caspar Franck (1543–1584) described the Stäbler in the Catalogus Haereticorum as Christians who neither carry arms nor wage wars. Instead, they have a staff. According to this chronicle, the term "Stäbler" goes back to the sword maker Johannes Spittelmaier .

literature

  • Christian Hege, Christian Neff (eds.): Mennonite Lexicon , Volume II, Frankfurt am Main 1937

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