Hausbreitenbach, a district in western Thuringia jointly administered in Reformation times by Electoral Saxony and Hesse, and hence because of the differences between the two governmental policies toward the Anabaptists and in particular the milder attitude of Philipp of Hesse, a territory where Anabaptism could more readily spread. The first traces of Anabaptism here appeared in 1528, coming chiefly from Hersfeld and Sorga in Hesse, with Melchior Rinck as the chief propagator. The first arrests occurred in 1531, the victims divided between Saxony (executed) and Hesse (released). Further arrests were made in 1533, among them Fritz Erbe, who was held in prison in Eisenach on the Wartburg until his death in 1548. The remaining prisoners were freed. Until the middle of the century the Anabaptists in Hausbreitenbach continued to maintain themselves vigorously, as is evidenced by the repeated complaints of Justus Menius, superintendent at Eisenach, in whose territory Hausbreitenbach lay. (For a fuller treatment see Thuringia and the books by Wappler listed there, especially Die Stellung Kursachsens.)
|Author(s)||Harold S Bender|
 Cite This Article
Bender, Harold S. "Hausbreitenbach (Thüringen, Germany)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 31 May 2016. http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hausbreitenbach_(Th%C3%BCringen,_Germany)&oldid=81798.
Bender, Harold S. (1959). Hausbreitenbach (Thüringen, Germany). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 31 May 2016, from http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hausbreitenbach_(Th%C3%BCringen,_Germany)&oldid=81798.
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