Bold Women of the Reformation Tour

by Judy Springer

I was quite taken with Ludwig der Springer, pictured below. The story is that, upon seeing the hill upon which the Wartburg Castle now sits, he is supposed to have exclaimed, "Warte, Berg—du sollst mir eine Burg werden!" (Wait, mountain—thou shalt become a castle for me!") Because the hill was not quite within his lands, it is said that he had clay from his lands transported to the top of the hill so that he could swear that the castle was built on his ground.

How bold is that! Myth or fact—it really doesn't matter to me, because it is his name that has captured my attention. Quite a story when your own name is Springer.

Ludwig der Springer, Wartburg Castle
But of the many bold people about whom we learned on our tour, both contemporary and historical, the person who stands out the most to me is Katharina von Bora Luther. The more that we heard about her, the more in awe I was. She was truly the boldest of the bold. Consider that:

• When she was only five years old, Katharina's father sent her to a convent in Brehna. Five years later, she was transferred to the cloister at Nimbschen, where at age 16 she took her vows as a nun. From her sheltered life, how much would she have known about the outside world?

• Yet, on Easter Eve in 1523, she and 11 other nuns escaped from the convent under cover of darkness. Leonhard Koppe, friend of Luther and Torgau councilman, drove the getaway wagon. The smuggling of nuns was a capital offense. Bold nuns; bold driver.

• Three nuns returned to their family homes; eight were married off fairly quickly. Katharina remained. Luther found her a temporary home with the Cranach family. After a brief romance with Jerome Paumgartner was terminated by his parents (probably because they didn't want him to marry a penniless, runaway nun), Katharina was presented with another suiter, Dr. Kaspar Glatz, 20 years older than she. But Katharina boldly proclaimed that she had "neither desire nor love" in herself for him. She declared resolutely that she would marry only Nicholas von Amsdorf or Martin Luther or remain single, an unthinkable proclamation, an unthinkable act. Incredibly bold, this woman.

• On June 13, 1525, a Tuesday evening, Katharina and Martin became engaged before witnesses including Johann Bugenhagen (pastor of the Wittenberg city church), Justus Jonas, and the Cranachs. Immediately after the engagement, Katharina and Martin were married by Pastor Bugenhagen. A bold move, considering that Luther's friends were opposed to the marriage. Luther was 42; Katherina, 26.

• The Luthers were wed for 20 years and blessed with six children—three boys and three girls. Meanwhile, Katharina managed their large home, took in boarders, raised vegetable and flower gardens, brewed beer, bought cattle, and proofread Luther's translation of the New Testament, among other things. Oh my! Valiant woman, she!

• After Luther's death in 1546, among Katharina's many trials was that she had very little income. She was dependent on the generosity of the Elector John Frederick and the princes of Anhalt. But more distressing was that Chancellor Brϋck insisted that the boys be taken from their home in order to get a better education. Katharina fought tooth and nail until the chancellor gave up that idea. Bold mother!

• Katharina also had to face the threats of war and becoming a refugee. With the onset of the Schmalkaldic War in 1546 and the defeat of John Frederick, Wittenberg was in a panic. Katharina fled with her family to Magdeburg. When she returned in 1547, her farm was in ruins. Her animals were gone, and the buildings were burned to the ground. She was forced to borrow money to rebuild--bold woman to even think to do such in that day.

• In 1552, the plague broke out in Wittenberg. Katharina decided she must leave her home again. During the trip, her horses were frightened and she was thrown from the carriage. Severely injured, she never regained her strength. She died in December 20, 1555. Katharina had lived an amazingly bold and courageous life.

I think perhaps boldness comes, not from a natural inclination to be daring or fearless, but from the conviction that something is the right thing to do. Perhaps steadfast, tenacious, and persevering are better definitions of bold. And maybe that's what we mean with our triennium theme "Act Boldly"—not that we are fearless or audacious, but that, in knowing what is right, we have the faith to do what is right.