Heinrich Gresbeck

Heinrich Gresbeck, also known as Henry Gresbeck, was a carpenter who was living in the city of Münster in 1534 when the Münster Rebellion began. He wrote the only eyewitness account of events within the city for the fifteen months duration of the rebellion, and played a key role in the recapture of the city by guiding the siege forces of Franz von Waldeck, Bishop of Münster inside the fortress gates.

For these actions Gresbeck has been described in various texts as a "convert", "traitor", "collaborator", "deserter", "chronicler", and "disgruntled city refugee".

Sources

• "False Prophets and Preachers: Henry Gresbeck’s Account of the Anabaptist Kingdom of Münster" -- by Heinrich Gresbeck, translated and edited by Christopher S. Mackay

Before now, Gresbeck’s account was only available in a heavily edited German copy adapted from inferior manuscripts. Christopher S. Mackay, who previously produced the only modern translation of the main Latin account of these events, has adhered closely to Gresbeck’s own words to produce the first complete and accurate English translation of this important primary source. —  -- extract from the book description

published by Truman State University Press -- ISBN 9781612481418

• Gresbeck, Heinrich (16th century), article in the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO.org)

sourced from Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 172.

• "A Companion to Anabaptism and Spiritualism, 1521-1700" -- edited by John Roth, James Stayer

published by BRILL -- ISBN 9789004154025

• "The Tailor King: The Rise and Fall of the Anabaptist Kingdom of Munster" -- by Anthony Arthur

published by St. Martin's Press -- ISBN 9780312205157

• "Messiahs and Messianic Movements through 1899" -- by Roland H. Worth, Jr. (page 118)

published by McFarland & Company -- ISBN 9780786482276

• "Narrative of the Anabaptist Madness (2 vols): The Overthrow of Münster, the Famous Metropolis of Westphalia" -- by Hermann von Kerssenbrock, translated by Christopher S. Mackay

published by BRILL -- ISBN 9789004157217

• "The Radical Reformation, 3rd edition" -- by George Huntston Williams

published by Truman State University Press -- ISBN 9780943549835

• Day of Wrath (Dies Irae) in "A History of the Münster Anabaptists" (pp. 153-164) -- translated and edited by George von der Lippe and V. Reck-Malleczewen

published by Palgrave Macmillan -- ISBN 9781349373000 -- DOI: doi:10.1057/9780230612563_9

• "The Anabaptist Commune of Münster 1534 -1535", a sourced article on the All Empires Project

• "Orgies and executions: It's mayhem in Münster", an article written by Mike Stuchbery for The Local Europe GmbH.

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