Communism In The Middle Ages? The Story of Münster and Anabaptists

Medium ^ | October 3rd, 2023 | Colt Marion

[Cronos]

The story of the Protestant Reformation is a complicated and often confusing series of historical events to approach. With the geopolitical and social movements of the time, getting a clear timeline is a difficult task. Along with this, many of the big themes are difficult to comprehend as they deal with medieval metaphysics.

For much of Reformation history, this is the hard truth though, in my opinion, we do get to see a plethora of fascinating groups. One of the most intriguing groups to emerge from the Reformation period were the Anabaptists.

Why are They Special? Without getting into the specifics of the doctrine, Anabaptists were known for two important things: Radical political views and baptism… hence the name.

The term Anabaptist itself has the Greek prefix “ana” meaning “again,” so their name literally meant “re-baptizer.” One of their core beliefs focused on adult baptism, and they claimed that the traditional practice of infant baptism had no use.

Actually, the name Anabaptist was a derogatory nickname given to the group, though it eventually stuck.

The second core Anabaptist belief came in the form of the “Two-Sword Theory”. This theory traditionally stated that the Spiritual Sword, given to the Pope, and the Temporal Sword, given to kings, were the two important seats of power in the world.

Anabaptist leaders such as Hans Hut and Balthazar Hubmaier (awesome name, I know) were quick to hop on the bandwagon to reunite these two swords, effectively turning church and state into one.

These early Anabaptist leaders expanded this sword-unifying theory to its extreme, especially Hut. He took an… apocalyptic approach, and began to claim that we humans could only hope to hold the spiritual sword, while the temporal sword would only return to the earth in the hand of Jesus Christ based on The Book of Revelation.

All of this is a complicated way of saying that the only true Christians were the Anabaptists and, if you wanted to be saved in the upcoming apocalypse, you better get re-baptized and join. Hut was so sure of this that he actually calculated the date of Revelation. He claimed it would happen on May 31, 1528.

Communism? Doomsday prophecy aside, Hut also had some other big ideas that were radical for the time. He believed that as spiritual sword holders, it was the Anabaptist’s job to create the ideal society for Christ to come back and rule.

This society was to be one of “communal aid.” One where all assets, food, money, and more, were to be divided among everyone to create an ideal Christian community. While this was completely revolutionary for the time, it also sounds strikingly similar to another communal theory that would be introduced not 400 years later.

The “Incident” Things stayed relatively silent for a few years. Hut’s doomsday date came and went, and the Anabaptists had general radio silence for about three years. This was until a duo arrived on scene in the city of Münster.

Bernard Rothmann, a local mover and shaker, and Melchior Hoffman, a classic “the end is nigh” preacher, began to spread Anabaptism around in Münster, and it spread… fast. As Anabaptism spread, two more players joined, Jan Beukels and Jan Matthys. The Jan’s only sped up this spreading doctrine, and by 1534 Rothmann was re-baptized.

Now, this in itself is impressive, but within 8 days of Rothmann’s re-baptism 1,400 more Münster citizens were baptized.

Rightfully so, the leaders of Münster began to express their concerns about the rapidly growing Anabaptist force, but it was okay because Rothmann and co. held a new election where he and his subordinates were elected as Münster’s new leaders.

To top that off, as his first new act as ruler, Rothmann ordered all of the previous rulers of Münster publicly executed, if they didn’t immediately convert or leave.

Growing Problems Naturally, the public murder of their leaders was off putting to some, so many fled to both Catholic and Reformation states. This news was so shocking to the rest of northern Europe, that both Reformation and Catholic armies showed up at the walls of Münster.

Meanwhile, events inside of Münster were going just swimmingly. Seven deacons were appointed and all inhabitants of the city were forced to hand over their belongings. So, the Anabaptist commune was established. The “true Christian community” was finally equal. Though, not all conformed to this new doctrine, so Rothmann had them publicly executed if they didn’t leave.

With the two armies stationed outside the wall, the new Münster government decided to close off all the gates… cutting off the food supply. Not only this, but Jan Beukels (a.k.a. John of Leiden) was named the new king declaring himself the “voice of the Lord”, and under him were twelve elders/disciples… I can not make this up.

Quickly after becoming King, Beukels enacted Civic Ordnung (civic order), and this introduced new, stricter, laws. Many of which took more away from the common person while also making polygamy a requirement for all men. The idea was that this was the only way to rapidly grow the Anabaptist community.

A Bloody Conclusion June 25, 1535, both Reformed and Catholic forces stormed the city and slaughtered all who opposed.

It is important to note that everything from Rothmann’s re-baptism to the fall of Münster happened in the span of a year.

Many of Münster’s leaders were captured and on January 22, 1536 they were publicly tortured and executed. After this, their bodies were thrown into cages and hung from the top of St. Lambert’s church for 50 full years.

It was a clear message to any who might have wanted to repeat the Münster experiment.

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TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: anabaptists; belongsinreligion; commiesareatheists

[Cronos]

25-year-old John of Leiden was subsequently recognized as Matthys' religious and political successor, justifying his authority and actions by claiming visions from heaven. His authority grew until eventually he proclaimed himself the successor of David and adopted royal regalia, honors, and absolute power in the new "Zion". There were now in the town at least three times as many women of marriageable age as men, so he made polygamy compulsory, and he himself took 16 wives (John is said to have beheaded Elisabeth Wandscherer in the marketplace for refusing to marry him, though this act might have been falsely attributed to him after his death.) Meanwhile, most of the residents of Münster were starving as a result of the year-long siege.

[Chickensoup]

If I recall correctly there was some running around naked as well.

[Texas Eagle]

You’re old enough to remember running around naked during the middle ages? 😜

[Cronos]

Yes, public nudity was deliberately used by radical Anabaptist leaders as a shock-tactic or prophetic ritual.

Upon seizing control and elevating himself to the “King of the World” or the “New David,” Jan van Leiden ran through the streets of Münster entirely naked in a state of wild religious ecstasy.

This radical behavior echoed a broader phenomenon within extremist wings of the Anabaptist movement, such as the naaktlopers in Amsterdam and prophets in Strasbourg. These individuals shed their clothes publicly to symbolize spiritual purity, a return to the innocence of the Garden of Eden, or to signal impending divine judgment.

[Nateman]

Three iron cages are still hanging from the steeple of St. Lambert’s Church (St. Lamberti) in Münster, Germany. They were used to publicly display the tortured, dismembered corpses of three Anabaptist leaders following the brutal suppression of the Münster Rebellion in 1536.

[Zathras]

I didn’t know that.
Thanks for sharing.

[doorgunner69]

Monster Antibaptists?

Sounds medieval all right

[Verginius Rufus]

The two swords theory comes from the two swords of Luke 22.38. It was not original with the Anabaptists.

[Beowulf9]

Nothing says Christian love like iron cages hanging to display the tortured, dismembered corpses of three Anabaptist leaders suppressed in the Münster Rebellion.

I will remember this any time I buy Munster cheese now.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HostileArchitecture/comments/vlkl4i/the_three_human_sized_cages_hanging_from_st/

[ANKE69]

> " I remember this any time I buy Munster cheese now." <

LOL!
Münster cheese is not from Münster, Germany; it originates from the Vosges region in France. The name "Münster" comes from the town of Munster in France, where the cheese was traditionally made.

I've worked in Münster for close to six month and saw the Lambertikirchturm every single day.
If you're interested in accurate history, let me know.

[Jan_Sobieski]

There’s crazies in every generation. Munster crazies don’t represent Anabaptists anymore than David Koresh was Roman Catholic

[Big Red Badger]

Fascinating Read.
1500s’ seems a Tough time.
But the Naked part and the cages ?
The Dark Age torture Was Varied and Extreme But nothing Compared to
The Cross of Christ.
Amen
.
.
Thanks cronos
which means ‘Time’

[MayflowerMadam]

“Nothing says Christian love like iron cages hanging to display the tortured, dismembered corpses of three Anabaptist leaders”

Much like the “Christian love” shown toward my ancestor in 1612. He was an Anabaptist burned at the stake for heresy.

[Chickensoup]

You’re old enough to remember running around naked during the middle ages

..........

Absolutely.

Actually first time I attended Mennonite meeting the pastor mentioned it in his talk. He was quite apologetic about it. As if it had happened the previous week... certainly a lapse in decorum... you see...

[Big Red Badger]

Wow...
That’s personal.

[MayflowerMadam]

Yes. Personal. The last martyr to be burned at the stake in England. There’s a plaque on the outside of the church in Litchfield commemorating him.

He wouldn’t baptize his children until they were old enough to make the decision to accept Christ. Refusal to baptize infants at that time was heresy. (Religious tolerance wasn’t their strong suit.)

Many of my cousins have visited the site over the last several years. I’ll probably never get there.

[TomEd]

Let me quote Daniel Stephen Courney’s essay about another Baptist movement::

~~THE BLOODIEST CIVIL WAR IN HUMAN HISTORY ~~~

TWENTY TO THIRTY **MILLION** DEAD. Mass cannibalism. Rape and pillage. Desertification due to slash-and-burn warfare. No less than 600 cities were wiped off the map. Total War.
All this was caused by an insane but charismatic Chinese antichrist named Hong Xiuquan who claimed to the brother of Jesus and the second son of God.
(No wonder China got rid of all religion during the Cultural Revolution!)
This was the war with the highest casualty count up to that point and STILL REMAINS
Hong Xiuquan — who claimed to be the brother of Jesus after being influenced by western Christian missionaries in China — led The Taiping Rebellion, from 1850-1864, which was meant to usher in the “Heavenly Kingdom of Taiping”.
The contemporaneous American Civil War, which resulted in about 1 million deaths, is dwarfed by the 20,000,000 to 30,000,000 body count of the Chinese Civil War — led by a man who claimed to be a Christian.
We Americans still can’t forget our civil war and argue about the Confederate Flag and tear down statues of soldiers. I don’t think the Chinese so easily forget a civil war far more bloody and due to the purported influence of a “foreign” religion.
And Hong Xiuquan’s brutality and disregard for human life (he believed the ruling Manchus were “demons” incarnate to be exterminated, for example) inspired another bloodthirsty tyrant nearly 75 years later named Mao Zedong, who caused the death of at least as many people.

[Cronos]

In 1612, Edward Wightman became the last person in England to be burned at the stake for heresy. A radical Anabaptist minister from Burton-on-Trent, he was convicted of various religious heresies, including anti-Trinitarianism

The execution was personally sanctioned by King James I, who earlier commissioned and legally mandated the KJV. The King James Bible was published in 1611. Just one year later, in 1612, King James I authorized the burning of Edward Wightman

The primary motive for creating the KJV was to replace the popular Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible contained marginal study notes that questioned the absolute authority of monarchs and promoted anti-monarchical ideas. By enforcing his own "Authorized Version"—which banned political notes—and executing radicals like Wightman, King James I was using both cultural and physical force to protect his absolute rule and the authority of the Church of England

[Cronos]

While Edward Wightman was condemned under the broad, often derogatory label of "Anabaptist" by the English Crown, his descendants belonged to the English Separatist Baptist movement, which was a distinct theological lineage.

Edward's children grew up exactly when the distinct English Baptist movement was organizing (around 1609–1640s). They rejected continental, radical Anabaptism. Instead, they embraced General and Particular Baptist theology, which grew out of English Puritanism. When his son John and the grandchildren migrated to Rhode Island in 1654, they integrated directly into the established colonial Baptist churches.

The Wightman descendants in America were strictly Baptists, actively distinguishing themselves from continental Anabaptists (like the Mennonites or Amish) i

[Cronos]

modern peaceful Anabaptists are literally the direct theological and historical descendants of the exact group that produced Münster

David koresh was branch Davidian. The Branch Davidians were an apocalyptic offshoot of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists. The Adventists came out if the Millerite great disappointment. Miller was a lay Baptist preacher. And the Baptist movement came out of the Church of England in 1609.

In contrast, the Münster rebels did not emerge in a vacuum; they were part of the Melchiorite stream of Anabaptism. Melchior Hoffman was an influential Anabaptist leader who introduced adult baptism to the Low Countries.

Hoffman preached an apocalyptic message that a “New Jerusalem” would be established.

When Hoffman was imprisoned, his direct followers—specifically Jan Matthys and Jan of Leyden—took his theology, radicalized it into violence, and declared the city of Münster to be that New Jerusalem.

The people who flooded into Münster to participate in the rebellion were existing Anabaptists from the surrounding regions of Germany and the Netherlands who shared the same core view on baptism.

the Münster rebels practiced adult believer’s baptism (re-baptism) and explicitly identified as part of the radical Reformation. It was their shared Anabaptist view on baptism and separation from the “corrupt world” that allowed the leaders to gather a following in the first place

Mennonites Simmons gathered the surviving Melchiorite Anabaptists—including many who had been sympathetic to or involved with the Münster movement—and explicitly steered them away from violence and polygamy. He re-grounded them in strict, absolute pacifism. Those survivors became the Mennonites. Therefore, modern peaceful Anabaptists are literally the direct theological and historical descendants of the exact group that produced Münster