Martin Luther Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Final years, illness and death === [[File:DHM - Luther auf Totenbett.jpg|thumb|upright|Luther on his deathbed, a portrait by [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]]]] [[File:Martin Luther's grave, Schlosskirche, Wittenburg.jpg|thumb|Luther's grave in [[Schlosskirche, Wittenberg]]]] Luther had been suffering from ill health for years, including [[Ménière's disease]], [[vertigo]], fainting, [[tinnitus]], and a [[cataract]] in one eye.<ref name="pmid9019884">{{cite journal |author=Iversen OH |title=Martin Luther's somatic diseases. A short life-history 450 years after his death |language=no |journal=[[Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association|Tidsskr. Nor. Legeforen.]] |volume=116 |issue=30 |pages=3643–3646 |year=1996 |pmid=9019884 }}</ref> From 1531 to 1546, his health deteriorated further. In 1536, he began to suffer from [[Kidney stone disease|kidney and bladder stones]], [[arthritis]], and an ear infection which ruptured an ear drum. In December 1544, he began to feel the effects of [[angina]].<ref>Edwards, 9.</ref> His poor physical health made him short-tempered and even harsher in his writings and comments. His wife Katharina was overheard saying, "Dear husband, you are too rude," and he responded, "They are teaching me to be rude."<ref>Spitz, 354.</ref> In 1545 and 1546 Luther preached three times in the [[Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen|Market Church]] in Halle, staying with his friend Justus Jonas during Christmas.<ref>[http://www.buergerstiftung-halle.de/bildung-im-voruebergehen/luther/ Die Beziehungen des Reformators Martin Luther zu Halle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707161754/https://www.buergerstiftung-halle.de/bildung-im-voruebergehen/luther/ |date=7 July 2017 }} buergerstiftung-halle.de {{in lang|de}}</ref> His last sermon was delivered at Eisleben, his place of birth, on 15 February 1546, three days before his death.<ref>Luther, Martin. Sermon No. 8, "Predigt über Mat. 11:25, Eisleben gehalten," 15 February 1546, ''Luthers Werke'', Weimar 1914, 51:196–197.</ref> It was "entirely devoted to the obdurate Jews, whom it was a matter of great urgency to expel from all German territory," according to [[Léon Poliakov]].<ref>[[Léon Poliakov|Poliakov, Léon]]. ''From the Time of Christ to the Court Jews'', Vanguard Press, p. 220.</ref> James Mackinnon writes that it concluded with a "fiery summons to drive the Jews bag and baggage from their midst, unless they desisted from their calumny and their usury and became Christians."<ref>Mackinnon, James. ''Luther and the Reformation''. Vol. IV, (New York): Russell & Russell, 1962, p. 204.</ref> Luther said, "we want to practice Christian love toward them and pray that they convert," but also that they are "our public enemies ... and if they could kill us all, they would gladly do so. And so often they do."<ref>Luther, Martin. ''Admonition against the Jews'', added to his final sermon, cited in [[Oberman, Heiko]]. ''Luther: Man Between God and the Devil'', New York: Image Books, 1989, p. 294. A complete translation of Luther's ''Admonition'' can be found in Wikisource. [[s:Warning Against the Jews (1546)]]</ref> Luther's final journey, to Mansfeld, was taken because of his concern for his siblings' families continuing in their father Hans Luther's copper mining trade. Their livelihood was threatened by Count Albrecht of Mansfeld bringing the industry under his own control. The controversy that ensued involved all four Mansfeld counts: Albrecht, Philip, John George, and Gerhard. Luther journeyed to Mansfeld twice in late 1545 to participate in the negotiations for a settlement, and a third visit was needed in early 1546 for their completion. The negotiations were successfully concluded on 17 February 1546. After 8 p.m., he experienced chest pains. When he went to his bed, he prayed, "Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God" (Ps. 31:5), the common prayer of the dying. At 1 a.m. on 18 February, he awoke with more chest pain and was warmed with hot towels. He thanked God for revealing his Son to him in whom he had believed. His companions, Justus Jonas and Michael Coelius, shouted loudly, "Reverend father, are you ready to die trusting in your Lord Jesus Christ and to confess the doctrine which you have taught in his name?" A distinct "Yes" was Luther's reply.<ref name=Reeves60>Reeves, Michael. "The Unquenchable Flame". Nottingham: IVP, 2009, p. 60.</ref> An apoplectic stroke deprived him of his speech, and he died shortly afterwards at 2:45 a.m. on 18 February 1546, aged 62, in Eisleben, the city of his birth. He was buried in the [[All Saints' Church, Wittenberg|Schlosskirche]] in Wittenberg, in front of the pulpit.<ref>[[Brecht, Martin]]. ''Martin Luther''. tr. James L. Schaaf, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–93, 3:369–379.</ref> The funeral was held by his friends [[Johannes Bugenhagen]] and Philipp Melanchthon.<ref name=MacKim19>{{cite book|last=McKim|first=Donald K.|title=The Cambridge companion to Martin Luther|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2003|series=Cambridge companions to religion|isbn=978-0-521-01673-5|page=19}}</ref> A year later, troops of Luther's adversary Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor entered the town but were ordered by Charles not to disturb the grave.<ref name=MacKim19/> A piece of paper was later found on which Luther had written his last statement. The statement was in Latin, apart from "We are beggars," which was in German. The statement reads: <blockquote><poem># No one can understand [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Bucolics]]'' unless he has been a shepherd for five years. No one can understand Virgil's ''[[Georgics]]'', unless he has been a farmer for five years. # No one can understand [[Cicero's Letters|Cicero's ''Letters'']] (or so I teach), unless he has busied himself in the affairs of some prominent state for twenty years. # Know that no one can have indulged in the Holy Writers sufficiently, unless he has governed churches for a hundred years with the prophets, such as [[Elijah]] and [[Elisha]], [[John the Baptist]], Christ and the apostles. Do not assail this divine [[Aeneid]]; nay, rather prostrate revere the ground that it treads. We are beggars: this is true.<ref>Kellermann, James A. (translator) [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/beggars.txt "The Last Written Words of Luther: Holy Ponderings of the Reverend Father Doctor Martin Luther"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004132238/http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/beggars.txt |date=4 October 2017 }}. 16 February 1546.</ref><ref>Original German and Latin of Luther's last written words is: "Wir sein pettler. Hoc est verum." {{interlanguage link|Heinrich Bornkamm|de}}, ''Luther's World of Thought'', tr. Martin H. Bertram (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 291.</ref></poem></blockquote> The tomb of [[Philipp Melanchthon]], Luther's contemporary and fellow reformer, is also located in the All Saints' Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://helios.augustana.edu/~ew/slide-collection.html|title=Slide Collection|access-date=24 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209193155/http://helios.augustana.edu/~ew/slide-collection.html|archive-date=9 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://christianity.about.com/od/lutherandenomination/a/martinlutherbio_2.htm|title=Martin Luther's Great Accomplishments|first=Mary|last=Fairchild|newspaper=Learn Religions|access-date=24 February 2017|archive-date=22 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122013248/http://christianity.about.com/od/lutherandenomination/a/martinlutherbio_2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourredeemerlcms.org/beggars.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20031122043305/http://www.ourredeemerlcms.org/beggars.htm|url-status=dead|title=OurRedeermLCMS.org|archivedate=22 November 2003}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CBqyFy46I-EC&q=burial+of+martin+luther+astle+church&pg=PA32|title=The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther|isbn=978-0-521-01673-5|last1=McKim|first1=Donald K|date=10 July 2003|publisher=Cambridge University Press }}</ref><!-- All 3 googles books references are of different books! do not consolidate! --><ref>[http://www.signaturetoursinternational.com/gp-3.php SignatureToursInternational.com]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201194458/http://www.signaturetoursinternational.com/gp-3.php |date=1 December 2007 }}</ref> <gallery> File:Luthers Sterbehaus Eisleben.jpg|[[Martin Luther's Death House]], considered the site of Luther's death since 1726. However the building where Luther actually died (at Markt 56, now the site of Hotel Graf von Mansfeld) was torn down in 1570.<ref>''Dorfpredigten: Biblische Einsichten aus Deutschlands 'wildem Süden'. Ausgewählte Predigten aus den Jahren 1998 bis 2007'' Teil II 2002–2007 by Thomas O.H. Kaiser, p. 354</ref> File:Luther death-hand mask.jpg|Casts of Luther's face and hands at his death, in the Market Church in Halle<ref>[http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_new=26979&int_sec=2 Martin Luther's Death Mask on View at Museum in Halle, Germany] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529060226/http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_new=26979&int_sec=2 |date=29 May 2013 }} artdaily.com</ref> File:Schlosskirche (Wittenberg).jpg|''[[Castle Church in Wittenberg|Schlosskirche]]'' in Wittenberg, where Luther posted his ''Ninety-five Theses'', is also his gravesite. File:Luthertombstoneunderaltar.jpg|Luther's tombstone beneath the pulpit in the [[Castle Church in Wittenberg]] File:Luthergrab-WB.jpg|Close-up of the grave with inscription in Latin </gallery> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page