Europe in the Age of the Reformation

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The Anabaptists

Zürich

A few days later, on 21 January 1525, Conrad Grebel baptized George Blaurock (an ex-priest), who in turn baptized fifteen others who were assembled in a private home. They then celebrated the Lord's Supper as a memorial service (the mass was still being celebrated in Zürich), and a new community of believers was formed.

This little break-away group began evangelizing in the surrounding villages after they had fled Zürich. The city tried to clamp down, but met with resistance in some of the villages. This was at a time that the Peasants Revolt was in full bloom in Germany, immediately to the north. Various leaders were imprisoned at times, some suffering torture and some staging daring escapes.

The city council in March 1526 ordered captured Anabaptists be drowned. In November of that year, the city went further, threatening with death those who even listened to Anabaptist preachers.

In January 1527, a number of Anabaptist leaders were captured. With Zwingli's full knowledge and approval, Manz was tied to a hurdle and thrown into the Limmat River. Blaurock was beaten through the streets and driven into exile. Many others fled or went into hiding. We hear little of Anabaptists after this date.