Thomas Müntzer
Thomas Müntzer (ca. 1489 – 27 May 1525) was an early Reformation-era German theologian, who became a rebel leader during the Peasants' War. He believed that the questioning of authority promoted by the Lutheran Reformation should also be applied to the economic sphere. Under pressure, Luther had to distance himself from Müntzer, stating that the Reformation he supported was only spiritual. Müntzer was eventually captured, tortured and decapitated.Müntzer promoted a new egalitarian society which would practice the sharing of goods. Müntzer's movement and the peasants' revolt formed an important topic in Friedrich Engels's book The Peasant War in Germany, a classic defense of historical materialism. Engels described Müntzer as a revolutionary socialist leader who chose to use religious language – the language the peasants would best understand.
Personal facts
| Alias (AKA) | Muentzer Thomas |
|---|---|
| Birth date | January 01, 1488 |
| Birth place | |
| Date of death | May 27, 1525 |
| Place of death |