Bauernkriegs-Held oder Bösewicht? Der Stuttgarter Stadtschreiber Johann Elias Meichsner

Lecture by Prof. Dr. Andreas Deutsch at the Württembergischer Geschichts- und Altertumsverein.

Because the famous painter Jörg Ratgeb was quartered in 1526, he is considered by some to be a "martyr of the Peasants' War". The Stuttgart town clerk Johann Elias Meichsner was solely to blame for the death of the brilliant artist. In fact, Meichsner had incriminated the painter considerably. But wrongly? This was the same Meichsner who, at the beginning of May 1525, drafted mass circulars for the Württemberg peasants in order to mobilize all forces against the approaching army of the Swabian League. So was he more of a hero of the Peasants' War? Or was he acting under duress? Meichsner had always been a staunch opponent of the murderous Duke Ulrich of Württemberg. When he was able to return to the Stuttgart throne in 1534, he had Meichsner thrown into prison. Meichsner himself was now threatened with execution. But then his relatives in Baden managed to save him. - The lecture sheds light on the work and influence of the important Stuttgart town clerk Elias Meichsner and at the same time provides fascinating insights into the circumstances surrounding the Peasants' War.