The 12 Articles of the German Peasants

In The 12 Articles of the German Peasants, the main theme and purpose is to edify the common people of the land.  In addition the twelve articles denote what the peasant’s duties are and how they should conduct themselves in certain situations. The writer of the articles is suggesting the common people be given certain rights that are being denied them so a more just society might be established. An example of this is found in the Fifth Article. This article talks about woodcutting. In previous times, a poor man had to pay two “pieces of money” for his wood. The writer suggests this is wrong noting the poor man has the right to get as much wood as he needs from wood not already duly purchased by someone else.

                I found the Eleventh Article very interesting.  I was unfamiliar with the word “heriot,” which means, “A feudal duty or tribute due under English law to a lord on the death of a tenant.” With this understanding, the second half of Article Eleven makes sense. The writer wasn’t talking about thieves who randomly robbed widows and orphans.  Instead, he was describing the practice of many lords who, when one of the tenants died, required the grieving family to pay him a tribute.  This practice was, according to the writer, equal to robbery.

                In trying to identify modern parallels with these twelve articles, I note the efforts of today’s religious leaders who are attempting to right the wrongs they see in our world.  Some of these wrongs include abortion, stem cell research, euthanasia, etc.  Their intention, like the advocate of the German peasants, is to educate a culture and, thereby, change its way of thinking.  This, in my opinion, is exactly what the writer of The 12 Article of the German Peasants was attempting to do.

                In regards to our Western Civilization text book, I see it similar to Luther’s ninety-five theses.  Luther was suggesting the problems he saw were in the church.  His writing Against the Thieving, Murderous Hordes of Peasants (1525) bore this out vividly. However, Luther’s writing focused its attack on the peasants, whereas our reading, The 12 Article of the German Peasants, focused its attack on the lords who were mistreating the peasants.