Biographies of a Reformation: Religious Change and Confessional Coexistence in Upper Lusatia, c. 1520-1635 (Studies in German History)

Biographies of a Reformation: Religious Change and Confessional Coexistence in Upper Lusatia, c. 1520-1635 investigates how religious coexistence functioned in six towns in the multiconfessional region of Upper Lusatia in Western Bohemia. Lutherans and Catholics found a feasible modus vivendi through written agreements and regular negotiations. This meant that the Habsburg kings of Bohemia ruled over a Lutheran region. Lutherans and Catholics in Upper Lusatia shared spaces, objects, and rituals. Catholics adopted elements previously seen as a firm part of a Lutheran confessional culture. Lutherans, too, were willing to incorporate Catholic elements into their religiosity. Some of these overlaps were subconscious, while others were a conscious choice. This book provides a new narrative of the Reformation and shows that the concept of the 'urban Reformation', where towns are seen as centres of Lutheranism has to be reassessed, particularly in towns in former East Germany, where much work remains to be done. It shows that in a region like Upper Lusatia, which did not have a political centre and underwent a complex Reformation with many different actors, there was no clear confessionalization. By approaching the Upper Lusatian Reformation through important individuals, Martin Christ shows how they had to negotiate their religiosity, resulting in cross-confessional exchange and syncretism. Cover Series page Biographies of a Reformation: Religious Change and Confessional Coexistence in Upper Lusatia, 1520–1635 Copyright Dedication Acknowledgements Contents List of Illustrations List of Maps List of Abbreviations and Conventions Introduction: A Royal Visit 1: Lorenz Heidenreich (1480–1557) and Oswald Pergener (1490s–1546): The Many Faces of the Lusatian Reformation The Reformation in the Towns of the Lusatian League The Zittau Zwinglians Conclusion 2: Johannes Hass (c.1476–1544): History Writing and Divine Intervention in the Early Reformation Civic Confidence and God’s Helping Hand Divine Intervention after the Reformation Conclusion 3: Andreas Günther (1502–1570): Religion, Politics, and Power in the Lusatian League The Mayor and His Town Changes and Challenges to Urban Authority The Changing Position of the Sorbs Conclusion 4: Bartholomäus Scultetus (1540–1614): Learning, Teaching, and Remembering in the Towns of the Lusatian League The Lusatian Calendar Reform Dedications and Scholarly Correspondences Education Memorializing Lutheran Towns Conclusion 5: Johann Leisentrit (1527–1586): Redefining Catholicism in a Lutheran Region Syncretistic Rituals Baptism Communion Marriage Dying and Death Musical Culture Limits of Syncretism Conclusion 6: Sigismund Suevus (1526–1596): Sharing Spaces and Objects Being Catholic in a Lutheran Town Lauban’s Shared Spaces The Görlitz Holy Sepulchre Conclusion 7: Martin Moller (1547–1606): Possibilities and Limits of Toleration Schwenckfelders ‘Crypto-Calvinists’ Jakob Böhme and His Followers Conclusion 8: Friedrich Fischer (1558–1623): Repositioning Lutheranism and Negotiating Ways Forward Bautzen’s Shared Church Preaching in a Biconfessional Town The King and His Towns Conclusion Conclusion: The Lusatian Reformation Bibliography Manuscript and Archival Sources Staatsarchiv Bamberg Archivverbund Stadtarchiv/Staatsfilialarchiv Bautzen Diözesanarchiv des Bistums Dresden-Meißen (Domstiftsarchiv), Bautzen Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu, Oddział w Bolesławcu, Bolesławiec Haupstaatsarchiv Dresden Ratsarchiv/Stadtarchiv Görlitz Stadtarchiv Kamenz Bestand A.4.1 Archiv der Evangelisch-lutherischen Kirchengemeinde Kamenz Stadtarchiv Löbau National Archives, Prague Stadtarchiv Schwäbisch Gmünd Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu, Wrocław Bibliotheka Uniwersytecka Wrocław UL. (University Library, Wrocław) Christian-Weise-Bibliothek Zittau, Altbestand Printed Primary Sources Online Primary Sources Secondary Sources Doctoral Theses Index Biographies of a Reformation: Religious Change and Confessional Coexistence in Upper Lusatia, c. 1520-1635 investigates how religious coexistence functioned in six towns in the multiconfessional region of Upper Lusatia in Western Bohemia. Lutherans and Catholics found a feasible modus vivendi through written agreements and regular negotiations. This meant that the Habsburg kings of Bohemia ruled over a Lutheran region. Lutherans and Catholics in Upper Lusatia shared spaces, objects, and rituals. Catholics adopted elements previously seen as a firm part of a Lutheran confessional culture. Lutherans, too, were willing to incorporate Catholic elements into their religiosity. Some of these overlaps were subconscious, while others were a conscious choice.0This book provides a new narrative of the Reformation and shows that the concept of the 'urban Reformation', where towns are seen as centres of Lutheranism has to be reassessed, particularly in towns in former East Germany, where much work remains to be done. It shows that in a region like Upper Lusatia, which did not have a political centre and underwent a complex Reformation with many different actors, there was no clear confessionalization. By approaching the Upper Lusatian Reformation through important individuals, Martin Christ shows how they had to negotiate their religiosity, resulting in cross-confessional exchange and syncretism Biographies of a Reformation. Religious Change and Confessional Coexistence in Upper Lusatia, c. 1520-1635 introduces the region of Upper Lusatia, where Lutherans, Catholics and a range of other groups coexisted in a largely peaceful manner.