Confession of Thomas Müntzer (1525)
Thomas Müntzer, as recorded by his interrogators16 May 1525
The statement taken from Thomas Müntzer under interrogation after his capture at Frankenhausen, printed within weeks together with his last letter.
The title of the pamphlet describes Thomas Müntzer as formerly pastor at Allstedt, “now found in the rebellious band at Frankenhausen”, and dates the confession to the Tuesday after Cantate 1525, which was 16 May. The library’s record notes that it was obtained under torture, that Müntzer names fellow conspirators in it, and that the pamphlet also prints his last letter, in which he asks his followers to avoid further bloodshed.
A confession extracted by the victors is weak evidence for what a man believed. It is cited here only for the date and for the fact of his capture with the peasant army.
Cited in
- 1524 to 1525, firm date