Luther's Works

Publications by Luther 1543-45

1543

Letter to Gregorius Brück

Gruber 189 Letter of Luther to Gregorius Brück on morning of Epiphany. 3 pages. WA Briefe X, 236-238. Aland 3836. With letters from Dr. Carl Falkenstein, Director of Dresden library, who once owned this letter.

The Last Words of David

The Last Words of David

Martin Luther. The Last Words of David (Maywood). Von den letzten Worten Davids. Aland 151; WA 54:16-100. BM 585. L84 (36000)

1545

A Defamatory Document about Luther's Death (a year before he died)

Gruber 70a

Gruber 70a Ein Wellische Lügenschrifft von Doctoris Martini Luthers Todt, zu Rom aussgangen... Nürnberg: Hans Guldenmund, 1545. Benzing 3493; WA 54.188ff. Eine wälsche Lügenschrift von Doctoris Marini Luthers Tod. Aland 423; WA 54:188-194. English translation: An Italian Lie Concerning Dr. Martin Luther's Death, Luther's Works 34:363-66. Click to enlarge thumbnail.

Gruber 140

Gruber 140 Ein Wellische Lügenschrifft von Doctoris Martini Luthers Todt, zu Rom aussgangen... Nürnberg: Hans Guldenmund, 1545. Duplicate of # 70.

On March 9, 1545, Philip of Hesse received a pamphlet printed in Italian reporting the alleged death of Luther and various portents that supposedly accompanied that event. This document claimed that Luther on his death bed asked his body should be placed on an altar and worshiped as a god. The night after Luther was buried there was a great uproar by his grave. When they exhumed the body the next day, there was neither body, flesh, bone, nor any clothes, but only a sulfurous smell that it made all sick who stood around. Philip sent this on to Luther three days later along with a German translation. On March 21 Luther wrote back with this comment on the unknown author: "He is a poor pitiable dung-priest who so badly wanted to do something admirable, but didn't have it in him."

Polemics against the Papacy

Gruber 89 Collection of nine plates (cartoons) directed against Papacy. Titles of plates are in Latin at top of pages. At bottom, inscriptions in German with Luther's name below, 1545. Click the thumbnails to see an enlarged picture.