The Passion of Doctor Martin Luther

In a Latin pamphlet published in August/September 1521 and issued again in German in the same year, an unknown humanist author draws a parallel between Luther's appearance before the Reichstag in Worms and the passion of Jesus Christ. The crucifixion of Jesus corresponds to the burning of the reformer's writings (decreed in the edict) which represents the execution of the "medial body" of Luther. The popular and effective form of the passion parody was owing not only to strategic considerations to increase turnover, but was probably informed by salvation history which was seen by many as a backdrop to the events in Worms.

Passion+D+Mar=||tins Luthers / oder seyn lydung ||durch Marcellum beschriben.||[…], title page, woodcut with letterpress, [Strasbourg: Johann Prüß the Younger], undated [1521/1522]. VD16 B 9935; Weller No. 1918 and 2109; Hohenemser No. 3908; Köhler No. 4061; source: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, 4° H.ref. 801,29a (Res), http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:12-bsb00013111-0.