Martin Zehentmayer

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Later depiction of the Anabaptist Court in Schwäbisch Gmünd in the Martyrs' Mirror

Martin Zehentmayer († December 7, 1529 ) was a leading figure in the southern German Anabaptist movement in the 16th century.

Life

Zehentmayer came from Langenmosen in Upper Bavaria and learned the painting trade in nearby Augsburg , where he joined the Reformation Anabaptists. Augsburg was a center of the still young Anabaptist movement in those years. A major Anabaptist synod, later known as the Augsburg Synod of Martyrs , took place here in August 1527 . In 1528, however, like many other Anabaptists, he was expelled from Augsburg and moved to Schwäbisch Gmünd , where he was able to set up a new Anabaptist community. According to tradition, after he had baptized over 100 citizens, the city council took notice of him and arrested him and 40 other citizens in February 1529. The group was held in the towers of the city with bread and water in order to be able to persuade them to withdraw . Zehentmayer was imprisoned for 42 weeks. After he did not withdraw despite torture ( embarrassing interrogation ), he and at least six other Anabaptists were tried on December 6, 1529, where he was sentenced to execution by the sword. On December 7th, the sentence was carried out outside the city on Remswasen. The events in Schwäbisch Gmünd were reported in the Mennonite Martyrs' Mirror and in the history book of the Hutterite Brothers .

Works (selection)

Zehentmayer also hymns written, which later in the songbook of Hutterite brothers and paragon were taken. These include the following chants:

  • I want to sing with joy ( Songs of the Hutterites , No. 48)
  • In deep distress we scream to you ( muster , no. 51; together with an anonymous)
  • I recently got my head around ( Songs of the Hutterites No. 53; together with the Seven Brothers )
  • Whoever wants to follow Christ here ( Hutterite Songs , No. 52)

literature

  • Christian Hege / Christian Neff: Article Martin Zehentmayer in: Mennonitisches Lexikon Volume 4, Frankfurt / Weierhof 1913
  • Wagner: "Die Reichsstadt Gmünd 1526-30", in: Württembergische Vierteljahrshefte (1884), p. 85 ff., 183.
  • Rudolf Wolkan: The songs of the Anabaptists , Berlin 1903
  • Rudolf Wolkan: History book of the Hutterite Brothers , Vienna 1923

Web links

Wikisource: Anabaptists executed in Gmünd in 1529  - sources and full texts
Wikisource: Martyrs' songs on the execution of seven Anabaptists in Gmünd in 1529  - sources and full texts

Footnotes

  1. ^ Gustav Bossert: "Zehentmayer, Martin (d. 1529)", in: Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online , 1959 online ; Accessed February 21, 2011
  2. ↑ Others attribute this song to Peter Riedemann .
personal data
SURNAME Zehentmayer, Martin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Member of the South German Anabaptist Movement
DATE OF BIRTH 15th century or 16th century
DATE OF DEATH December 7, 1529