Würzburg celebrates 500 years of the Peasants' War: history comes to life!

Würzburg celebrates 500 years of the Peasants' War: history comes to life!

On April 3, 2025, the University of Würzburg presented an innovative app that serves to make the history of the Peasants' War visible. This initiative coincides with the 500th anniversary of the largest and bloodiest popular uprising in Central Europe, which took place in 1525. According to [uni-wuerzburg.de], the app, entitled “Uprising in Würzburg – People and Places of the Peasants’ War”, is offered free of charge and aims to shed light on the little-noticed history in Würzburg.

During this time, many farmers were heavily dependent on their landlords. These gave protection to the farmers, while the latter had to pay high taxes and perform forced labor in return. The pressures and ideas of the Reformation led to a widespread desire for certain changes in society. The uprising spread across various regions of Germany, including Franconia and Würzburg, where citizens joined the insurgents in the spring of 1525 and rebelled strongly against the territorial princes and landlords under the leader Florian Geyer.

The Peasants' War and its causes

The Peasants' War, which originated in Swabia and the Black Forest, was not only an uprising against social and economic grievances, but also a reaction to the new teachings of the Reformation. Martin Luther, who published “On the Freyheith of a Christian Man” in 1520, advocated for religious freedom, but rejected the idea that the Christian's freedom also included freedom from serfdom. This led to an area of ​​tension in which the farmers, supported by reformatory ideas, strived for more equality and self-determination, as [planet-wissen.de] documents.

The insurgents were happy to receive support from craftsmen, day laborers and even some nobles. They demanded not only the abolition of serfdom, but also a more equitable distribution of resources, which was recorded in the “Twelve Articles” formulated by peasant representatives in March 1525. This measure represented a central point in the rebels' demands. However, their hope for change was severely dampened by the intransigence of the lords and the failure of the siege of the Marienberg Fortress.

Anniversary activities

To mark the anniversary, 65 different events are planned in Würzburg under the title “Freedom 1525, Freedom 2025 – 500 Years of the Peasants’ War,” as [wuerzburgerleben.de] reports. The series of events runs from February until the end of the year and includes lectures, guided tours, readings and a medieval market. Particularly noteworthy is the Actionbound offer for families, which takes you to the most important locations of the uprising.

Historical places such as the Steck winery, where the farmer leaders met, and the St. Burkhard church, which served as a weapons depot, are part of the digital scavenger hunt. Another station is at the former fish market, where many insurgents were executed after the uprising. The Bound is aimed primarily at seventh grade students and offers a modern approach to making learning history exciting and interactive.

The events and the app are not only a tribute to history, but also an attempt to raise awareness of the social and religious struggles that moved so many people 500 years ago. The university lecturer Dr. Miriam Montag-Erlwein is available for further information.