To the Welcome page and Contents list
Tom also points out
that Albrecht Dürers decision to immortalize Ulrich Varnbüler in a portrait
might suggest that he saw Ulrich as Luther's savior. After all, Tom wonders,
why would Dürer, and artist considered a genius by his contemporaries and
celebrated/sought in his own times by emperors, kings, courts and philosophers
as the "Leonardo of the North" have chosen Ulrich Varnbüler as the
subject for one of only several portraits Dürer chose to accomplish in his
lifetime? Moreover, why would Dürer also offer such glowing praise and
commendation in the form of a personal tribute and testament inscribed on the
drawing by the artist -- an incredible and unprecedented act of singular
rarity?
To draw your own
conclusions, read on for a fascinating account of the history of those times
and about the possible role of one of our ancestors at a key moment in
religious history.
Ulrich
Varnbüler, Albrecht Dürer, and Martin Luther
by Thomas
VanBuhler
Remember we (the
Varnbülers) didn't get to Stuttgart-Hemmingen until 1650. During the period
from about 1500 to 1650, we were somewhere else; principally in Lindau, I
believe, but also in other places such as Tübingen. Also, interestingly, during
this period 1500 to 1650 and beyond, this record shows the principal
occupations of the Varnbülers to be Jurists, Academicians, and Militarists, in
that order. Again, it reflects Doctoral level training, in my opinion and
investigative experience, principally provided by the Hapsburgs in Vienna
(point of information).
But let us focus on
those very wonderful, incredible, astounding Renaissance-laden decades -- 1500
to 1520 or 1530 -- in what is today southeastern Germany and the free-towns of
Lindau, Konstanz, Ulm, Wittenberg, Nurmberg, München, et al, and the pathways
to Italy via St. Gallen and Chur in Switzerland, etc. Enter Albrecht Dürer and
Martin Luther. Enter Willibald Pirckheimer and Ulrich Varnbüler. Enter Emperor
Charles V and Pope Adrian VI (that's right, Emperors and Popes !!, are active
participants here), former Emperor Maximillian and Pope Leo X, the "modern
world" leaders who saw and understood Luther's threat and had started
proceedings against him, having suddenly died in 1519 and 1521, respectively.
Enter Papal Bulls, Golden Bulls, Electors, Diets, stake-burnings,
excommunications, and frustrating, tinderbox times for millions of Germans. The
Diet of Worms was convened in 1521 by Charles V (elected 1520), and Leo X.
Luther was condemned. Spanish guards were waiting for him as he exited with
cries of "to the fire with him", but friends and supporters hurried
him off to safety. A century earlier, a similar situation and decision in
Konstanz had caused reformer John Hus to be burned at the stake. Many,
including admirer Albrecht Dürer we can reasonably presume, thought this
punishment awaited Luther as well. Indeed, the Pope had earlier excommunicated
Luther.
Soon after issuing a
ban to Luther to leave Worms, Charles was recalled to Spain to fend off an
attack on Italy by the French, a set of wars which would ultimately last
another twenty years. The Elector Frederick of Saxony, who legally held sway
over todays southeastern Germany and who was seen as uncooperative in matters
concerning Luther by Leo X, was put in charge of the problem. Luther was
expelled from Worms, and subsequently kidnapped in the Thuringian forest by
Frederick's soldiers, who as it turned out were sent there as Luthers
protectors. Frederick had Luther secretly interned in Wartburg Castle near
Eisenach. No one, it seems, certainly not Albrecht Dürer, presumably not
Charles V, not even Leo X, knew what happened to Luther. Then Leo X dies, and
Adrian VI assumes the Papacy. In December 1521, Luther turns up in Wittenberg,
and subsequently returns to public activity several months later (March, 1522).
Remember, Luther, a monk and member of the Catholic clergy, now officially
excommunicated and condemned, is also officially banned from the Holy Roman
Empire, to be detained and held on sight.
The previous
information is all based on the published accounts of others who have written
about this time, including accounts by Dürer and Luther. If I need to
re-emphasize anything, it would be the devotion that Dürer had for Luther as a messenger from God. Luther had publicly said what many Germans felt in their
hearts, and had struck a chord among them. They felt betrayed by the activities
of their Church, particularly the selling of Indulgences that were supposed to
provide salvation. Dürer and Luther were largely cut from the same cloth. The
Elector Frederick provided an introduction by sending one of Luther's books to
Dürer in 1520. Some accounts say Dürer knew of Luther before this time. One
account has Dürer first meeting Luther at the Nurmberg home of humanist
Willibald Pirckheimer October 23, 1518. But the effect of Frederick's gift was
electric. Remember, Dürer was already famous, having achieved fame, from
Maximillian and others, in his own time. Dürer replied, in very personal terms, that he wished to draw and engrave Luther (though he never did) as a
"lasting remembrance of this Christian man who has helped me out of great
distress". Dürer did send other valuable engravings to Luther in support
of his cause.
Then came the Diet
of Worms, and Dürer's conclusion that Luther was probably dead. Dürer wrote,
"O God, if Luther is dead, who will henceforth deliver the Holy Gospel to
us with such clearness". Imagine Dürer's elation to find early in 1522
that Luther was alive; that he had not been killed at the hands of the Emperor
as suspected. But the clergy in Wittenberg had revolted, burning all their
sacred images, causing Luther to return to restore order. Luther was now
exposed and subject to immediate arrest. What was the Emperor to do with this
contemptible situation? (Remember, Charles was pinned down in Spain by the
French who were threatening war in Italy). What he did was dispatch his brother
Ferdinand to the scene, the Elector Frederick having lost the favor of the
Emperor but retaining his power to rule. Charles, absent as leader of the
Catholic party in Germany, however, had forfeited his power as ruler to the
Elector Frederick who promptly called the Reichstag to order in Nurmberg. The
Reichkammergericht, the Supreme Court of the Reichstag, was asked to rule on
the matter of the Diet of Worms and the disposition of one Martin Luther, now
at-large. The chief presiding officer of this Supreme Court (ed: we assume) was
Ulrich Varnbüler. "The Court declared the Edict of Worms impracticable and
demanded the convocation of a general council of the Church".
Thousands of people
- among them many members of the diet and even a sister of the emperor - defied
the pope and his nuncio, Campeggi, by taking communion in both kinds from the
hands of the Lutheran pastor Osiander. Charles finally turned his attention to
this matter once again in 1529 by convening a diet at Speyer, who ruled to
affirm Worms and, once again, indict Luther. But there arose such a public
outcry from, by now, a well-entrenched following, including some Princes, that
the political practicality prevailed and followers of Luther, from that day
forward, came to be known as "protestants". Moreover, Albrecht Dürer,
celebrated artist and disciple of Luther, was moved to immortalize one Ulrich
Varnbüler with an engraved portrait (one of only several engraved in his
lifetime). The inscription on the portrait, in Dürer's own hand, reads,
"with this likeness, Albrecht Dürer of Nurmberg wishes to honor and make
known to posterity, Ulrich, surnamed Varnbüler, Principal Confidential
Secretary of the Imperial Roman Government, and his dearest friend". One
account of these proceedings stated that "Dürer converted this drawing
into a woodcut, and that the sitter was Imperial Counselor and Pronotary, and
later Chancellor of the Supreme Imperial Tribunal. Since 1515 he had been a
friend of Dürer and Willibald Pirckheimer."
Note:
A source quoted in the paragraphs above is "The Germans" by Eric
Kahler. 1974, Princeton University Press.