Jan Matthijsz

Jan Matthijsz, Hoffman’s successor, called himself Enoch and he said that it had been revealed to him that the New Jerusalem would to Münster, and not to Strasburg. Many people believed him and moved tot his city. Soon the Anabaptists ruled the city. All non-Anabaptists had to leave the city. Every ‘popish’ thing was smashed into pieces. Even the steeples were destroyed, because: ‘High things must be brought down’. Community of property was introduced, and all the books in the city were burned, except for the Bible. In 1534, when the city was besieged, Jan Matthijsz and twenty chosen ones carried out a sortie. He called himself Gideon. He believed that God had promised him the victory. His followers saw from the city walls how their ‘prophet’ was killed. However, their eyes were not opened tot he foolishness of the false prophets.