[Luther in Erfurt]


"Luther in Erfurt"
Part I

The Lutheran Journal, Vol. 56, #1, 1989

The article focuses on the history of Lutherstadt-Erfurt also known today as "Blumenstadt", the city of flowers. It has a population of 200,000 inhabitants. During Luther’s time, there were 20,000 people in the city, 2,000 of whom were students at it famous university. It was founded in 1392 and was the fifth in the empire. Unlike the University of Prague, Vienna, Heidelberg and Cologne, Erfurt was a full-fledged university with four colleges of the Middle Ages: Theology, Liberal Arts, Medicine and Law. In April, 1501, Luther came to Erfurt. His father Hans wanted his son to have a better life than he, and not work underground in the copper mines. He wanted Martin to become a lawyer, marry into a fine family and have children. Hans chose Erfurt for his son’s education, because it was famous and had an excellent law school.

This article describes Luther’s life as a student at the University, his decision to break the fourth Commandment to "honor thy father and mother", when he went against the wishes of his father to become a lawyer. He entered the monastery to become a member of the Augustininan Order of Hermit in Erfurt on July 17, 1505.

Click here for Part II.

Erwin Weber

April, 1997