Assignment 3: Martin Luther

The documentary on Martin Luther was very interesting and really spoke for just how much of an influence Luther had on both the religious and secular world of Germany. Luther was a man who was not afraid to challenge the church, particularly the structure of the church. He believed that the Catholic Church had strayed from the words of God and was instead using their high position to control the religious lives of individuals. Luther was a man who would not be silenced and would not apologize for his words or actions. However, while Luther’s personality and unwillingness to wield was a large reason he was so important to the German lands, I also believe the time period in which he lived played a key part in allowing him to be a radical force of change.

The style of printing press Luther would have likely used

Luther's To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation

One of the reasons Luther was so important to the German speaking lands was because he had access to the printing press. In the documentary, it compared the printing press to the internet and I find myself completely agreeing. Through the technology of the printing press, Luther is able to spread his writings, such as The Ninety-Five Thesis, To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, and On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, to many peoples rather than it just being confined to Wittenberg. Also, he used the printing press to produce the bible in a language that everyone could understand, which not only spread ideas, but gave individuals the power to read God's word directly rather than through the church. This act allowed them to put faith into their own hands. While this may not seem like much, spreading ideals and empowering individuals are very important steps when you want to incite change; it’s relatively simple to quiet one person, however when thousands have taken up the same call, it’s significantly more difficult.

Fredrick the Wise, Duke of Saxony, a strong supporter of Luther

Another thing that really set Luther apart from other men that voiced their displeasure with the Catholic Church was the time period in which he wrote. This was a time when the German nation was finally beginning to form some type of identity and yet the people were still forced to pay money to the Catholic Church far away in Rome. Add in the fact that the Church and the ruling class always had a precarious relationship to one another and it’s not difficult to see that the ruling class would take an opportunity to break away from the church as a positive change. One of Luther's earliest and greatest supporters was Fredrick the Wise, the Duke of Saxony, a man who had been trying to limit the power of the church and saw an opportunity through Luther's teaching. Luther definitely didn’t intend for his reform to dissolve into a secular issue, but the ruling class certainly turned it into one. Because of this turbulent time, Luther’s teachings really spoke to both the ruling class and the common people, leading to him being incredibly influential.

            In conclusion, Luther’s teachings were able to reach a wider audience who was very receptive to his words and that’s why he was so influential to the German lands. While I’m sure he would have still made some impact even without the assistance of the printing press and being in line with the desires of the ruling class, it was these traits that truly allowed him to influence the German lands so thoroughly. 

Word Count: 569

Assignment 2: 15th through 17th Century Germany

The first page of Germania

A 2009 edition of Germania

What I found particularly interesting about Germany between the 15^th and 17^th century was how the German people were searching for identity by turning to the past and attempting to find evidence of their lineage in classic Greek and Latin sources. They eventually managed to find a work known as Germania (the first page of which is pictured to the left) written by Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman historian. This document demonstrated, in the opinion of the German humanists, that the Germans were a clearly defined group even in ancient times. Include the fact that this document is still being printed and read today and it's not difficult to see that this document was very important to defining just what "Germany" was. While the importance of this document is interesting in and of itself, what the German humanists then proceeded to do with the document is what interests me the most.

            Once this document was discovered, not only did German humanists use it to defend their name abroad, they also used it to belittle the other cultures that surrounded them. As noted by Schulze, “They [the German humanists] began presenting Germans as the representatives of a natural, unaffected culture…destined to succeed the jaded, worn-out civilization of the Italians and French…” (pg. 49). The fact that the German humanists were so quick to go on the offensive with their newly gained knowledge is interesting to me and, I believe, rather telling. Rather than simply defending themselves, which would have been understandable, they go the extra step to prove that the German people are superior to the other people of the continent. I think this reveals that the German people were both very proud and very ambitious. I believe this mentality carries on into the current day.

            I believe every country goes through a time when they're searching for identity, but what's interesting is how the countries go about it differently. Take for example comparing Germany and the United States. In the case of the United States, they wanted to sever all ties they had with the past, namely The British Empire, and forge a new identity completely free of the people that were their predecessors. This is the exact opposite of Germany, where they not only viewed the past as critically important to defining their culture, but it was something that elevated them to a greater position; they were tied to the great empires of the Greek and Latin people and so they were a greater people. These two very different ways of seeking confirmation of identity speak for two very different cultures and I believe these influences can  be observed in the culture of both countries today.

Word Count: 447