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Margaret Hellwart

This article, minus the opening phrases and the ending sentence, was written by Sharon Graber Carpenter and is used here by permission. The full text can be found here.

While in past articles we have highlighted men, as we remember the 500 year anniversary of the Anabaptist movement, there were also many women who had a prominent part in spreading the Anabaptist movement. Often women joined the movement even though their husbands did not. Sometimes they were tortured or killed. Sometimes they fled for their lives. Sometimes their husbands divorced them. In Stuttgart, Switzerland, there were so many women that were converting that the authorities were unsure what to do. They had tried imprisoning or exiling them but doing so was a great burden for the township. There was a substantial public expense to find someone to replace all the women that were no longer there to prepare food and look after children. The authorities then came up with the idea to chain the women in their houses to take care of the problem of the women proselytising and spreading their beliefs without creating a hardship in the family dynamic.

One such case was a prominent woman named Margaret Hellwart of Beutelsbach (1568-1621).  She was summoned and interrogated by the church authorities over and over, but she refused to conform to their demands. Finally, they decided to do with her what they had already done with many of the women in that area. They ordered that she be chained in her house and church leaders were to visit her regularly and continue to attempt to convert her. But for Margaret, the chains did not work. She repeatedly escaped from the chain that was attached to her ankle and continued to go about her usual life. She went to Anabaptist meetings and openly visited people in her town and neighboring villages. She would get caught and chained again, but she continued to escape. Between 1610 and 1621, she was chained twenty-one times.

On one surprise visit from the mayor and the church superintendent, they knocked on the door and were quite sure that they heard her putting her own chain back on before she came to answer the door. The authorities were never sure who to blame for her escapes. They suspected that her husband (who was not Anabaptist) or others were probably helping her, but they could never catch anyone or prove it.  When she was asked how she always got free, she would only say that she had been “released from her confinement as Peter had in Acts 12.”

She continued to visit other women in the community to teach and encourage those who already believed, and convince others to convert. Those who converted were then also chained in their homes. One such woman, Katharina Koch, when questioned about why she would not attend the state church, said that she did not need to go because Margaret Hellwart taught her all she needed to know about the Bible.

Margaret Hellwart was known for her self-confidence and boldness. She would laugh at church interrogators who would try to correct her beliefs and had a ready answer to any argument they brought. In some of the records, the authorities wrote that she would listen to what they said to her with a “mocking smile on her face”. Margaret was never martyred for her faith but died at the age of fifty-three. She was an Anabaptist hero who spread the gospel boldly with no regard for consequences.  At EMS we seek to raise up a generation who will also fearlessly advance the Kingdom of God on earth as also in heaven. 

Mr. Joshua Good

Administrator

Hans Landis:  The Last Anabaptist Martyr in Zurich Switzerland

Continuing from last month’s discussion on Christian Martin, another influential Anabaptist leader worth remembering is Hans Landis. His legacy has shaped Lancaster County for generations, with many ministers bearing the surname Landis as a testament to his impact.

Hans Landis’s story is eloquently captured in John Ruth’s book, The Earth is the Lord’s, which details his conversion to Anabaptism in Zurich, repeated imprisonments, and ultimate martyrdom in 1613. Though Reformed Church authorities and the state offered him a chance to leave his home and property, he fearlessly refused, declaring that the earth belongs to the Lord and no man has the right to deprive another of his homeland. This conviction led to his torture on the rack and eventual beheading, making him the last Anabaptist martyr in Zurich.

Born around 1560, Hans Landis was a farmer in Wadenswil, near Zurich. Like many Anabaptists, he rejected the state church in favor of a Christ centered faith. The Anabaptists believed in adult baptism, voluntary commitment to faith, separation from state-controlled religion, and radical nonviolence. These beliefs made them targets for persecution. Zurich, a Reformation stronghold, viewed Anabaptists as heretics. The city government, influenced by Reformed theologians, sought to suppress their movement. 

Landis emerged as a key leader among Swiss Anabaptists, preaching despite great personal risk. His unwavering dedication drew the attention of authorities, leading to multiple arrests. He continued preaching in secret, strengthening the faith of his followers. In 1613, Landis was arrested once more and taken to Zurich, where he was condemned to death. Despite efforts to persuade him to recant, he remained steadfast. His beheading shocked many, as Anabaptist executions had largely diminished by then. His death highlighted the enduring intolerance toward religious nonconformists in early modern Europe.

Landis’s legacy endured among the Swiss Brethren, a branch of the Anabaptist movement. His story was preserved in martyrdom accounts such as Martyrs' Mirror. His unwavering faith inspired generations, and his sacrifice is honored in a 46-stanza hymn in the Ausbund, still sung in Amish circles. Today, Hans Landis is remembered as a hero among Anabaptists. His willingness to suffer and die for his beliefs serves as a challenge to all who seek to follow Christ faithfully. His story warns of the dangers of intertwining government and religion, as was common among Protestants at the time.

Last week, during mini-terms, a group of EMS students visited Zurich to remember the witness of Hans Landis and draw inspiration from his suffering for Christ. His life remains a powerful reminder of the cost of discipleship and the resilience of those who refuse to abandon their convictions. More than four centuries later, his name continues to be honored by Anabaptist communities worldwide, standing as a testament of faithfully and radically following Jesus.

Mr. Joshua Good

Administrator

Ephrata Mennonite School Earns Full Accreditation with High Praise

For the past 18 months, the EMS Long-Range Planning Committee has been diligently working through our seven-year reaccreditation process with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS). This esteemed independent organization conducts rigorous evaluations to ensure schools provide high-quality education, maintain sound financial management, foster effective leadership, and uphold principled governance. Recognized nationally for its accreditation work across public and private schools, MSA-CESS holds institutions to the highest standards.

This week marked the culmination of our accreditation efforts with a four-day visit from an external team of experts led by Dr. Robert Griffiths. Their comprehensive evaluation of Ephrata Mennonite School included in-depth discussions with parents, teachers, school leaders, board members, students, and community members. They visited classrooms, reviewed safety protocols, assessed our curriculum and budget, and examined teacher effectiveness and learning support programs.

We are thrilled to announce that the visiting team affirmed our school’s achievements. They specifically praised the excellence of our teaching staff, the joy and enthusiasm of our students, the engagement of our parents, the quality of our athletic programs, the strength of our learning support services, and the health of our governance and leadership. Additionally, they provided valuable formal recommendations for future growth, including the potential development of a full science lab and the creation of an alumni tracking system to follow graduates’ progress.

Most significantly, Ephrata Mennonite School was awarded full and unconditional accreditation—without stipulations or conditions. As we look ahead to the next seven years, we remain committed to excellence in all areas, striving to model lifelong learning for the glory of God. We take great joy in offering a high-quality educational experience from a conservative Anabaptist perspective and invite our community to join us in thanking the Lord for His many blessings.

Let us celebrate together the full accreditation of Ephrata Mennonite School!