Radical thought and sentiment occasionally bring about radical activity. This is what occurred in the city of Munster, Germany in the province of Westphalia in 1534 and 1535. In early 1534, the Anabaptists succeeded in gaining control of the city of Munster. Their reign was short but bloody, as was their end.
This paper shall explore the history of the occupation of Munster, and particularly the impact of this tumultuous time on the women of the community. How did they function as a part of the city of Munster? How did the events that took place impact the women of the community? How did polygamy, in particular, affect the women of Munster? How did their actions shape the Anabaptist kingdom of Munster?
In order to effectively discuss Munster in 1534 and 1535 it is first necessary to lay out a basic outline of the history and beliefs of Anabaptism, as well as a brief look at the period preceding the Munster occupation. The historical context of the Munster occupation, including, in particular, the Peasant's War of 1525 is essential to our understanding of what occurred in the city of Munster during 1534 and 1535.
Anabaptism began in 1525, and was quickly outlawed in nearly all of western Europe. Anabaptism quickly became a distinct and separate reform movement because of its belief in adult baptism, as opposed to infant baptism. The term Anabaptist actually means "re-baptizer", since all adherents of Anabaptism had originally been baptized as infants. The Anabaptist movement shared some of Luther's beliefs, including the authority of scripture, and belief in salvation through faith alone. The anticlerical, anti-sacramental, and iconoclastic tendencies common to more mainstream reform movements were also shared by the Anabaptists. The Anabaptist church was, in a very real sense, quite egalitarian. The anticlerical emphasis in the theology of the church led to a church without clergy or a priesthood. Anabaptism is also characterized by the "community of goods". Radical economic sharing illustrated the commitment of the believer to the community, which was seen as the Body of Christ on Earth.
Anabaptism came into being in 1525. This coincidence of timing has led to a considerable amount of scholarship regarding the possible links between Anabaptism and the Peasants' War of 1525. The Anabaptist "community of goods" and the egalitarian organization of the church clearly, at the very least, share some common beliefs with the peasants who participated in the Peasants' War of 1525. While some Anabaptist communities clearly were impacted by the Peasants' War, interestingly enough, the Anabaptists of Munster were most certainly not related to the Peasants' War. The overthrow of the city council of Munster by the Anabaptist was a planned event that originated in the highest levels of society, rather than from the lower classes. This may, in fact, explain many of the radical differences between the Munster community and other Anabaptist communities, particularly as it relates to economic sharing.
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