KATHARINA VON BORA
From a Portrait by Lucas Kranich
KATHARINE VON BORA,
Dr. Martin Luther's Wife
A PICTURE FROM LIFE,
BY
ARMIN STEIN.
TRANSLATED BY E. A. ENDLICH.
PHILADELPHIA
THE UNITED LUTHERAN PUBLICATION HOUSE
COPYRIGHT, 1890.
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
It has been my purpose in "Katharine von Bora,"to picture in the peaceful quiet of his domestichappiness, the man whose influence so largely shapedthe course of public events.
The undertaking has not been altogether an easyone; for, while history flows in a copious stream,regarding the Reformer himself, it gives but meagerinformation as to the great man's wife,—the humble,modest woman, who never thrust herself forward, norsought any personal advantage from her husband'sgreatness,—but remained contentedly in thebackground, glad to do him service, and to enrich herown heart from the abundance of his spiritual riches.Only occasional fragments give us glimpses of Katharine'slife, and out of these I will endeavor to forma completer picture.
The fact that Luther is so absorbing a personality,gives rise to a further difficulty,—the biography ofKatharine von Bora often insensibly becomes that ofLuther himself; and the author pauses to ask himself:Am I writing of Katharine, or of Luther? I can onlyrepeat, that it is my purpose, in this book, to paintLuther's domestic life, and therefore Dr. Martin, asthe head of his household, may fitly play a leadingpart.
As has already been stated, the historical noticesregarding Katharine von Bora are very scant. Inaddition to the laborious compilation by Walsh, publishedin refutation of popish calumnies, there are but twolearned works upon the subject,—Hofman's "Katharinevon Bora; or, Luther as Husband and Father,"and a "Life of Katharine von Bora," by W. Beste;besides these, I would mention a concise and popularsketch, written by Meurer, the Luther-biographer.
It has been my endeavor, so to utilize the materialhere gathered, that our people may learn to know thewife of its greatest man,—not by name only, but asher husband's "helpmeet," in the truest sense of theword, as a pattern of domestic virtue, and as a pearlamong women.
CONTENTS.
BOOK FIRST.—THE MAIDEN.
CHAPTER I.
A CONSPIRACY
CHAPTER II.
DISAPPOINTED HOPE
CHAPTER III.
DAWN
CHAPTER IV.
FREEDOM
CHAPTER V.
SHELTERED
CHAPTER VI.
A FLEETING FANCY
CHAPTER VII.
KATHARINE IN TROUBLE AND DR. MARTIN IN
STRIFE WITH HIS FRIENDS
CHAPTER VIII.
A SUDDEN RESOLVE
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