Beckh, Blasius (d. 1546)

Blasius Beckh, an Anabaptist martyr, was captured with Hans Staudach and Leonhard Schneider of Kaufbeuren (Swabia), and Anthoni Keim of Gunzenhausen (Middle Franconia), as they were emigrating to Moravia with their families, and on 3 August 1546 taken to Vienna. The women and children were soon released; but the men were subjected to repeated hearings, and upon threat of death were ordered to turn from their faith; since they refused to do this they were beheaded on 22 November 1546 at Vienna. Moving scenes were enacted before the execution. On the way to the place of execution the four men cheerfully sang hymns. Upon arrival there they knelt and prayed earnestly; one of them blessed the others and comforted them with the remark that they would soon be together in the kingdom of their heavenly Father. This strength of faith deeply impressed the crowd of spectators; even the executioner’s assistants were moved, and their superiors said apologetically that it was difficult to have this execution performed, but they had to obey the government. During their imprisonment these martyrs wrote several hymns, which are still extant.

Bibliography

Beck, Josef. Die Geschichts-Bücher der Wiedertäufer in Oesterreich-Ungarn. Vienna, 1883; reprinted Nieuwkoop: De Graaf, 1967: 165-167.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. Het Bloedigh Tooneel of Martelaers Spiegel der Doopsgesinde of Weereloose Christenen, Die om 't getuygenis van Jesus haren Salighmaker geleden hebben ende gedood zijn van Christi tijd of tot desen tijd toe. Den Tweeden Druk. Amsterdam: Hieronymus Sweerts, 1685: Part II, 74.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 475. Available online at: http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm.  

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 150.

Wolkan, Rudolf. Die Lieder der Wiedertäufer. Berlin, 1903. Reprinted Nieuwkoop : B. De Graaf, 1965: 179.

Author(s)	Christian Hege
Date Published	1953

Cite This Article

MLA style

Hege, Christian. "Beckh, Blasius (d. 1546)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1953. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Beckh,_Blasius_(d._1546)&oldid=143916.

APA style

Hege, Christian. (1953). Beckh, Blasius (d. 1546). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Beckh,_Blasius_(d._1546)&oldid=143916.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 260. All rights reserved.

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