February 2024: 490 years since the anabaptist rebellion

The Anabaptist movement emerged in the 16th century in the context of the Protestant Reformation. The Anabaptists, whose name means “rebaptizers,” rejected the practice of forcing children into religion, believing only adults should be baptized, and advocated for state-church separation. A revolutionary stance at a time when the church and political power were closely intertwined.

Anabaptists also advocated for social equality, communal property, and a peaceful and simple way of life. Their radical positions quickly attracted followers from across Europe but also made them a danger to the status quo, leading to constant persecution and violence from civilian and religious authorities.

In February 1534, a group of Anabaptists undertook an armed rebellion in the German city of Münster. Their leaders were Jan Matthys and Jan van Leiden, both following the preachings of Melchior Hoffman about making Münster the New Jerusalem. This rebellion sought not only religious reforms but also social and political changes that would benefit oppressed peasants.