The 500th (presumed) anniversary of the birthday of Thomas Muentzer, in 1989, as observed in the GDR, was appropriated by political scientists and historians and added to GDR founding mythology. The resultant "functional formulation" created unavoidable oversimplifications. The picture appears more complicated from the point of view of the Protestant church and its historical traditions. The two goals of Marxist historical interpretation, research and propaganda, remain woven together even in this celebration in honor of Muentzer. By means of confrontation with non-Marxist research and more intensive study of sources, the quality of Marxist search has been improved. The effect of the Luther jubilee in 1983 strengthened this trend. The traditional Marxist Muentzer interpretation, which was based above all on an interpretation by Friedrich Engels, was revised. The political changes of 1989 put an end to the process of Muentzer interpretations. For theology and church, there remain open questions due to Muentzer's critique of Luther and Muentzer's own actions during the stormy years of the Reformation.

Enthalten in:
Theologische Literaturzeitung; 2012/10 Monatsschrift für das gesamte Gebiet der Theologie und Religionswissenschaft (2012)

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Serie / Reihe: Theologische Literaturzeitung

Personen: Bräuer, Siegfried

Schlagwörter: Deutsche Demokratische Republik Rezeption Müntzer, Thomas