Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen [Hardcover]

Richard Wunderli (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 22, 1992

"... lively and intellectually stimulating... " —Speculum

"Wunderli... has lucidly reconstructed a controversial conflict in 15th-century south-central Germany.... this engaging narrative takes off from Hans Behem—the peasant who claimed to see the Virgin and gained followers until crushed by the established church—to explore larger forces at work in Germany on the eve of the Reformation... Wunderli also attempts to sort out the violent conflict that ensued and Hans's subsequent trial. His scrupulousness and sensitivity make for a small but valuable book." —Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating and well written, this is highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries." —Library Journal

"Richard Wunderli... deftly tells the story in Peasant Fires, finding in it a foreshadowing of peasant uprisings in the 16th century." —New York Times Book Review

"... a stimulating read... an engaging synthesis." —Central European History

In 1476, an illiterate German street musician had a vision of the Virgin Mary and began to preach a radical social message that attracted thousands of followers—and antagonized the church. The drummer was burned at the stake. This swiftly moving narrative of his rise and fall paints a vivid portrait of 15th-century German society as it raises important questions about the craft of history.

"A gem of a book.... It has a plot, good guys and bad buys, it opens up a 'strange' world, and it is exceptionally well written." —Thomas W. Robisheaux

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wunderli ( London Church Courts and Society on the Eve of Reformation ) has lucidly reconstructed a controversial conflict in 15th-century south-central Germany. Aimed at the general reader, this engaging narrative takes off from Hans Behem--the peasant who claimed to see the Virgin and gained followers until crushed by the established church--to explore larger forces at work in Germany on the eve of the Reformation. For peasants, the world of spirits and saints was more powerful than nature; only there could they imagine a different social order. The hardships of nature in 1476 provided impetus for the peasants, temporarily emboldened by pre-Lenten Carnival, to be ripe for a visionary shepherd like Hans. But Hans's call for the leveling of society prompted the wrath of Bishop Rudolph, who, according to Wunderli, was a reformer in his own right. Building on sketchy records and elements from other contemporary sermons, the author invents a sermon for Hans, showing how he might have appealed to peasant fantasies of egalitarianism. Wunderli also attempts to sort out the violent conflict that ensued and Hans's subsequent trial. His scrupulousness and sensitivity make for a small but valuable book.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

Wunderli (history, Univ. of Colorado) recounts the tragic story of Hans Behem, a peasant shepherd of the German village of Niklashausen, in 1476. Behem, following instructions received in a vision of the Virgin Mary, devoted himself to God and preached to the folk, his sermons becoming more radical as the crowds grew. It is also the larger story of the bitter divisions between peasants and the elite clergy, as reflected in the line "O God in Heaven, on You we call/ Help us seize our priests and kill them all." The oppressed peasants could only find "justice" in the fantasy world of Carnival, the period before Lent. At such times, society was turned on its ear: The Fool reigned, Mass was mocked, and all were reduced to a common level. But what if the attitudes of Carnival lasted beyond their appointed time? The answer to that question lies in the story of Hans Behem. Fascinating and well written, this is highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries.
-Robert A. Curtis, Taylor Memorial P.L., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (October 22, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253367255
• ISBN-13: 978-0253367259
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,110,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Glimpse of German Late Medieval Peasant Life, October 25, 2001

By 

Ricky Hunter (New York City, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen (Paperback)

The peasants in medieval society remain silent in history, neither speaking themselves through writings they were not able to produce or being ignored by the literate classes of the aristocracy or clergy, until those occasional moments when the peasants turn their despair into anger and their enemies cannot write enought about them. Richard Wunderli captures simply and perfectly one of these moments in Peasant Fires (The Drummer of Niklashausen) when the peasants in Southern Germany are led on a very brief pilgrimage by the enigmatic peasant/shephard Hans Behem and his visions of Mary that threaten to turn the society upside down. The author is great at capturing this period of time for the reader and setting the stage for the main event. It is unfortunate that the main event itself could not be meatier but that is not the point. A smaller eruption in society such as this is appropriate for this little volume. It allows the general reader into medieval history a chance to get a clear look at an interesting time. A well-written and presented book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The major themes of peasant fires, January 23, 2000

By 

krista shirley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen (Hardcover)

Peasanta fires is an interesting, imaginative account of the pilgrimage of Niklashausen. Richard Wunderli has done a good job of recreating the story of Hans Behem and the pilgrimage of Niklashausen in 1476. The ever-present and extremley important themes that run throughout the book are that of pilgrimage, indulgences, and social classes. Although some of the story is the imagination of Wunderli himself, he clearly explains the story of Hans Behem. This novel is a useful tool when studying the history of Germany in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is not the usual reading material that one would find when learning about history. Nonetheless, it gives a different perspective than that of a usual textbook.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good portrayal of peasant life, March 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen (Paperback)

This book created a new insight into the way we look at peasants. It is quite difficult to assemble together a story this well, and the parts that Wunderli creates seem believable considering the context of the novel. In addition, it shows how peasant life revolved around the festivals and that the time inbetween was rather dead time. It helped me look at the life and struggles of peasants (even the oppression) in a whole new light.