Margaret Beck, Anabaptist Printer
written by Kendall Dean, 2011
In 1525, if you weren’t a Catholic, life would be difficult for you and your family. For Anabaptists during this time, Martin Luther had already paved the way for reformation and a new theology. The Anabaptists radicals however weren’t looking to reform the current church, but to start over with the mindset of being like Jesus’ disciples. The Anabaptist movement was a grass roots movement and was bravely supported by those who faced persecution and death for their “radical” beliefs. People like Margaret Beck, who gave what they had to help spread the word of God and not the Pope’s interpretation, were the foundation of something much bigger than themselves. Margaret grew up and lived in a changing world surrounded by Anabaptists and their struggles and in the face of adversity she helped the Anabaptist movement to press forward.
Margaret grew up in a very turbulent time when people were confused as to what they believed. With peasants revolting against leadership figures and the Holy Roman Empire slowly fading, people were confused, frustrated and open to change. Not much is known about Margaret’s childhood. We do know that Margaret was a second-generation printer. She was also a native of Strasbourg, Germany. She was probably in her twenties, when the Anabaptist movement was kicking off (1525) and Strasbourg, a tolerant city and the one in which Margaret resided, was at first a place of refuge for Anabaptists. During the time when the Anabaptists were building a foundation, the Peasant War was being fought; nobles realized that they did not like this “reformation”. The Anabaptists were formed by people not only dissatisfied with the Pope’s translation of the Bible but also that common people couldn’t read the Bible and form their own beliefs (since Bibles were rare and in Latin). With Martin Luther’s Reformation preceding them, the Anabaptists were able to access Bibles in the people’s language (German) and encouraged a disciple-like way of life. Anabaptists believed that God came before the rulers of the land contrary to the Catholic (and the nobles) theology that God ordained rulers. Margaret was friends with a Lutheran pastor Michael Zell and his wife Katherine and was more open to the Reformation movement compared to the other printers in Strasbourg, already exposing her to a different mindset than that of the Catholic Church. Being a printer she was asked to print many articles on religion and theology such as Martin Luther’s Twelve Articles and Christian Baptism. She became familiar with the Reformation and Anabaptist movements this way. When she began meeting with reformers and Anabaptists that she was printing for, she learned about the Anabaptist movement. She was also asked to print works for the Anabaptists, familiarizing her with their theology. Margaret liked the Anabaptists ideas and began to get caught up in the rebellion.
In the previously tolerant city of Strasbourg, Margaret began printing for some radicals such as the Lutherans and Anabaptists. Strasbourg was not an empirical city and therefore was not under the rule of the Pope so the city officials were much more lenient about religious matters. As Margaret began to find out what was behind the Anabaptist movement, her curiosity got the best of her and she started looking into the strange new way of life. A Swiss immigrant Balthasar Beck immigrated to Strasbourg after being a part of the Anabaptist movement in Switzerland and captured Margaret’s heart. Having been widowed a few years previous ( actually in 1525) after only two years of marriage due to the plague, Margaret needed to move on. Beck also influenced Margaret’s lean in the direction of Anabaptist theology and encouraged her to print articles for them. She witnessed the struggle between Catholics and radicals about priests marrying, and found no biblical argument against it. She began digging deeper into the Bible and questioning beliefs that she had held previously. Then, the Anabaptists in Strasbourg stopped baptizing their children. Margaret liked the idea of making the choice of baptism as an adult, but the priests and officials in Strasbourg didn’t like the idea at all, claiming it was heresy. New parents that Margaret was acquainted with were even ordered to leave Strasbourg because they wouldn’t baptize their infant child. During this time the radicals fought against Mass in Latin as well.
Reformers wanted Mass (church services) to be held in the peoples’ language (German). Once again, the officials of the city and priests fought them on this new idea. During this time, many were accused of witchcraft and others were tried over their beliefs (Radical or Catholic). Though none of the people they burned for being witches were actually so, it was an effective extermination technique for the officials of any place to use against people “disturbing the peace”. Anna Weiler, a widowed friend of Margaret who had been taken advantage of by a man, was accused of being a witch to cover up his wrongdoing. Margaret and Katherine Zell were a source of comfort and friendship to Anna when she was on the run and being sent to prison for these false accusations. After the unjust and totally unproven slaughter of people accused of being witches (because of fear), Jews were also targeted and made to wear a sign of public identification (a yellow star) and were confronted about their beliefs of the Messiah. A rabbi in Strasbourg, Rabbi Loria, was a friend to Margaret when Balthasar Beck was arrested (later on in her relationship with Beck). Not many Jews stayed in the Holy Roman Empire because of their persecution, instead they moved to land occupied by the Turks because of the religious freedom. Men in Strasbourg were asked to volunteer to fight the Turkish advance on Italy.
As Margaret became more involved in the radical movement, she made the decision to become baptized into the Anabaptist movement. It would have been a tough time to decide to become an Anabaptist. The other reformers, especially those who believed violence was okay, challenged Margaret and the Anabaptists. The Catholics and nobles who wanted to remain in control created many obstacles for the Anabaptist’s movement. Margaret did get baptized though, and Beck decided to join her in the river with Conrad Grebel (the man who baptized them). Conrad Grebel was a significant Anabaptist leader who traveled around spreading Anabaptist theology. After traveling to Switzerland to talk with Anabaptist leaders and get out of Strasbourg with Beck, Margaret returned to Strasbourg only to find many problems waiting for her. Her friend Katherine Zell who had been pregnant had her baby prematurely and the baby died. While consoling her friend, she also had to deal with the city’s censorship committee clamping down and preventing the printing of Luther and Anabaptists articles. After all of the problems she had to deal with, Beck asked Margaret to marry him and she agreed and things started looking up if only just a little bit for Margaret.
There was increasing trouble with the Turks on the Eastern front and people everywhere, including Strasbourg, felt the pressure to join the emperor in his fight against the Turks. This meant that the Anabaptist men were feeling pressure from the Catholics to join the war effort. While this was happening, Margaret and Beck decided to ask their friend Matthew Zell, the Lutheran preacher of Strasbourg, to marry (they were actually married in 1527, not 1525) them even though they were Anabaptists. Matthew agreed and Margaret and Beck were elated. Unfortunately, with increasing religious pressure in Strasbourg, Beck entertained the idea of moving to Switzerland to be with more Anabaptists; while Margaret refused saying that her roots were in Strasbourg along with her printing press. Finally, Matthew Zell married Margaret and Beck and on their honeymoon, they traveled and explored ruins in Germany. While on their honeymoon, Margaret got the idea to print Bibles to spread the Word to the “common” people. When they got home they got involved in discussions about salvation with Conrad Grebel and how the Catholic Church had made a mistake in this area by trying to sell indulgences instead of encouraging people to bring their sins straight to God. Alarmingly, the Emperor Charles V had sent out a decree that the Edict of Worms, which stated that Luther’s teachings were not to be accepted, must be enforced. This meant that Anabaptists would also be heavily pressured and persecuted. Then the Anabaptists (who had started meeting in Margaret and Beck’s home) held a meeting with Conrad Grebel, who was wanted by officials at this point, baptizing many people. The next morning Grebel was almost arrested. After his near arrest, Margaret decided that she was going to print Grebel’s pamphlet on Anabaptism.
The pressure weighed heavily on some of the Anabaptists. One of their members Lucas Hackfurt, a relief worker’ recanted his second baptism because he didn’t want the city counsel to take away his relief shelter (like a soup kitchen today). Beck decided to apply for citizenship in Strasbourg, since Margaret had been a contributing citizen, even though the city counsel would require military service. Unfortunately, the war with the Turks and the requirement of military service meant that Beck would most certainly have to fight. As an Anabaptist very strictly against violence, Beck would not respond to his call to fight. Since he neglected his duties, Beck was sentenced to one year in prison. Margaret and Beck faced the struggles of being Anabaptists in a strictly Catholic era. On top of living without her husband for a year, Margaret’s Anabaptist pamphlets were discovered and burned. Margaret had a rough year ahead of her.
Although she faced adversity along with the Anabaptist pioneers, Margaret kept her head up and with strength and hard work, helped the Anabaptist movement prosper. After the crazy events that took place in 1525, Margaret and Beck continued to print Anabaptist articles and appeared to have had a significant impact on the Reformation and Anabaptist movement in southern Germany. The significance of standing up for what you believe in and not crumbling when faced with death or other issues worked for the Anabaptists, and now many people can enjoy religious freedom. The reformers stood strong and spread the Word in an unconventional yet effective way. Margaret Beck was a woman after God’s heart and her loyalties remained with God and what she believed even after she went through many trials.
Bibliography:
Chrisman, Miriam Usher. Lay Culture, Learned Culture: Books and Social Change in Strasbourg, 1480-1599. New Haven U.a.: Yale Univ. Pr., 1982. Print.
Loewen, Harry, and Steven M. Nolt. Through Fire and Water: An Overview of Mennonite History. Scottdale, PA: Herald, 2010. Print.
Yoder, Elwood E. Margaret's Printshop. Scottdale, PA: Herald, 2005. Print.