Born: 1483 - Eisleben, Germany
Died: February 1546 - Eisleben, Germany

Martin Luther was the son of a mining family of rural origin. He attended the Latin School in Mansfeld from 1488 onwards, continuing his schooling in Magdeburg and later in Eisenach. In 1501 Luther began his studies in Erfurt and intended to become a lawyer.

In 1505, however, he made a decision that changed the course of his life radically: he decided to enter the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. This decision shaped the rest of his life, and his search for a merciful God and His Will culminated in the development of the Reformation of the Church. Luther's negative personal experiences with the ecclesiastical means of grace resulted in not only increasing criticism of the deplorable state of affairs within the church but above all to a fundamental reconsideration of medieval theology.

His public criticism of the misuse of letters of indulgence in 1517 did not result in the desired discussion but led to the start of a court of inquisition culminating in Luther's excommunication after the Imperial Diet of Worms in 1521. Friedrich the Wise organized a "kidnapping" to protect Martin Luther's life. Luther spent almost a year as Knight George on the Wartburg, where he translated the new testament into German.

Luther's most obvious break with his monk's vows ensued when he married the former nun Katharina von Bora in June 1525. The basic unit of the protestant parish house had been born. After the Peasants' War in 1525, which Luther had disapproved of, the Reformer promoted the development of the protestant territorial church through visitations and church policies.

He died in Eisleben, the town of his birth. By order of the Elector Luther was buried in the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

With his translation of the Bible into German Martin Luther attained permanent fame as far as a unification of the German language was concerned. Today some 70 million believers on all five continents are members of the Lutheran Church.

Source: Lutherstadt Wittenberg Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2003)

Martin Luther: Short Biography | Martin Luther and Bach

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 2, BWV 4, BWV 6, BWV 7, BWV 14, BWV 16, BWV 36, BWV 38, BWV 42, BWV 59, BWV 61, BWV 62, BWV 64, BWV 69, BWV 76, BWV 80, BWV 80a, BWV 80b, BWV 83, BWV 91, BWV 95, BWV 106, BWV 119, BWV 120, BWV 120b, BWV 121, BWV 125, BWV 126, BWV 158, BWV 169, BWV 190, BWV 190a, BWV 197, BWV 226, BWV 248/1, BWV 248/3, BWV Anh 163

Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Title

Year

EKG

Zahn

Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein

1523-1524

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (adaptation of Nikolaus Decius' original text)

1525

131

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (Psalm 130)

1524

195

Christ ist erstanden

1533

75

Christ lag in Todesbanden

1524

76

Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam

1524-1541

146

Christum wir sollen loben schon

1524

-

Die Litanei

1528

138

Es woll uns Gott genädig sein

1524

182

Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ

1524

15

Herr Gott, dich loben wir [The German Tedeum]

137

Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand

1529

77

Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott (verses 2-3)

1524

98

Mit Fried und Freud

310

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

1524

1

Vater unser im Himmelreich

1539

241

Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit

1524

192

Chorale Melodies used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Title

Year

EKG

Zahn

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (I)

1524

185

4437

Christ ist erstanden (with the help of Johann Walter)

1533

75

8584

Christ lag in Todesbanden

1524

76

7012a

Die Litanei

1528

138

Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ

1524

15

1947

Herr Gott, dich loben wir [The German Tedeum]

137

8652

Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand

1529

77

1978

Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin

310

3986

Vater unser im Himmelreich

1539

241

2561

Links to other Sites

Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Martin Luther
Martin Luther biography (Line One)
Reformation: Martin Luther (WSU)
Island of Freedom: Martin Luther
Martin Luther: Biography of Martin Luther (Sack Lunch)
Martin Luther (The Reformation Guide)
Portrait of Martin Luther (Boston College)
Martinus Luther - A Reformation Reference
Dr. Martin Luther to the Christian Reader
The Life & Acts of Martin Luther in English [Frazel- Sohmer]
Martin Luther's Life- The Imperial Diet of Worms
WELS: About Martin Luther - timeline
WELS: Luther - Kuske Article with Photo sidebar
Selected Works of Martin Luther (Project Wittenberg)

The Book of Concord- Lutheran Confessions- 1529-1580 (Project Wittenberg)
Lutheran Hymnals
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
The Musical Reforms of Martin Luther
Smalcald Articles
The Smalcald Articles (Hyperlinked)
Treatise of the Power and Primacy of the Pope
The Augsburg Confession (1530)
Small Catechism (1529)
The Large Catechism of Martin Luther (1530)
Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (1537)
An Open Letter On Translating 95 Theses: Latin version & English translation
The Musical Stations of Martin Luther (Carolina Classical)

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