Europe in the Age of the Reformation

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Martin Luther

The Wartburg

Wartburg Castle gave Martin Luther a refuge that earlier reformers like John Hus lacked. He was able to remain in safety, yet he was able to reach a wide public thanks to the printing press.

From Wartburg, freed from the demands of teaching, Luther spent his time studying and writing. He began his work on a German translation of the Bible; although he was not to finish this until 1534, he did manage to translate the New Testament, and this quickly went into production. He also wrote commentaries, letters, and various polemical works.

His stay at Wartburg allowed Luther the time and freedom to develop his ideas and to buttress them with further research. It also helped keep him the center of attention, for people could only speculate as to where he was, and could deal only with his written works. He probably would have stayed in hiding even longer, but rifts among reformers were already beginning to show. His friends urged him repeatedly to return to Wittenburg, to restore order and resolve disputes. He did so in 1522.