THOMAS MÜNTZER: A HISTORICAL CATALYST IN GERMAN PEASANTS WAR

Year 2022, Issue: 35, 151 - 161, 29.05.2022

Emre Taşkıran

https://doi.org/10.20875/makusobed.997792

Abstract

In this article, Thomas Müntzer, the leading historical figure in the German Peasants War, is scrutinized in a different context within the perspective of the social history of political thought. By choosing the mainstream literature, this study has used some of the important pamphlets, letters, and secondary qualitative texts on Müntzer’s manuscripts about both the German Peasants War and his theological assertations toward the Reformation process which began with Martin Luther’s contributions to Catholic Church in 16th century. Examining social, political, and theological dynamics in the 16th century German Reformation process, this article has tried to find the potential answers to the basic question, which is how contradicted theological conflict between prominent Protestant doctrines led to revolutionary tendencies among exploited groups in German Reformation Process. In this respect, Müntzer is described as a historical catalyst who combines the revolutionary dynamics with the theological assumptions under the identity of a reformist cleric.

Keywords

German Peasants War, Marxism, Feudalism, Thomas Muntzer

THOMAS MÜNTZER: ALMAN KÖYLÜLER SAVAŞI’NDA TARİHSEL BİR KATALİZÖR

Abstract

Bu makalede, Alman Köylüler Savaşı’nda öne çıkan tarihi bir aktör olarak Thomas Müntzer, siyasal düşüncenin toplumsal tarihi perspektifinde farklı bir bağlamda irdelenmektedir. Bu çalışmada, ana akım literatür seçilerek, Müntzer’in hem Alman Köylüler Savaşı’na hem de Martin Luther’in 16. Yüzyıldaki Katolik kilisesine yönelik katkılarıyla başlayan Reformasyon sürecine yönelik el yazmaları, broşürleri, mektupları ve ikincil nitel metinleri kullanılmıştır. 16. yüzyıl Alman Reformu sürecindeki sosyal, politik ve teolojik dinamikleri inceleyen makale, Alman Reform sürecinde önde gelen protestan doktrinleri arasındaki çelişkili teolojik çatışmanın sömürülen gruplar arasında nasıl devrimci eğilimlere yol açtığı temel sorusuna makul cevaplar bulmaya çalışmıştır. Bu açıdan Müntzer, reformist din adamı kimliği altında, dinsel varsayımlar ile devrimci dinamikleri birleştiren bir tarihsel katalizör olarak tanımlanmaktadır.

Keywords

Alman Köylüler Savaşı, Marksizm, Feodalizm, Thomas Müntzer

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