www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Martin Luther's descendants

Any genealogists out there?

I've been doing extensive research on my family history over the years, with a recent concentration on my maternal side. I recently learned of a possibility of being related to the reformer, Martin Luther. I said maybe.

My great ancestor, Johann Melchior Michael Luther (b. 1725 in Erfurt/ d.10 Nov 1788) was Professor of Medicine at the University of Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, in the mid-18th century. This was the same university that the Reformer, Martin Luther, entered earlier in 1501. He had several sons and daughters, and I was wondering if anyone knows of any good book, website, Luther specialist who may know the descendants of Hans Luther II (b.1526), Martin Luther Jr. (b.1531), and Paul Luther (b.1533)?

Thank you,
Joe Thur

Dear Cantor Joe,

So "Thur" is a shortened version of "Luther?"

There is actually an independent group called the Evangelical Catholic Church that has adopted Lutheran tradition to Orthodox faith and praxis (I believe they are in some sort of talks with the Antiochian Orthodox Church, like the Evangelical Orthodox).

They actually have Martin Luther in their church calendar and some of their priests liturgically invoke him as a Father and Teacher of the Church.

Their primate may have further information. Are you interested?

Here is their website:

http://members.aol.com/EvCathCh/index.HTML

As you know, Martin Luther returned to the Catholic Church a short while before his death and was received back by the Bishop of Salzburg.

Alex

Alex,

Actually, Thur is not a shortened version of any name. Thur is just Thur.

I recently got confirmation from genealogists on this side of the Atlantic pond as well as documentation on the other side by Luther genealogists, that I am definitely a descendent of Martin Luther, the Reformer, on my maternal side.

Martin Luther is my GGGGGGGGGGGG-grandfather and Katharina von Bora is my GGGGGGGGGGGG-grandmother. I am of bloodline via his son, Johannes Hans Luther (b. 7 Jun 1526, Wittenberg) and Johannes' wife Elisabeth von Creytzen.

I began wondering about this when I traced my lineage back to Johannes Melchior Luther, who was Professor of Medicine at the University of Erkfurt, Thuringia. He married Margarethe Maria Wagner in 1752, and his one son went to the US as a Hessian soldier who later switched sides to fight under General George Washington in the Continental Army. The Erkfurt University connection rang a bell since that was where Martin Luther studied earlier.

Ich habe gewu�t, da� es einen Grund f�r meine zugeh�rende Liebe f�r die Heiligen Schriften gab.

Joe Thur

Dear Joe,

Congratulations, I guess. It seems you have connections to history in the Western Church and also in the Western Hemisphere. Now you have to figure out how to take it and what to make of it.

Are you going to start your own "reformation"? :p

Are you now going to write up your own "theses" and post them on the Church door? :p

Are you going to become a soldier in some revolutionary army? :p

Inquiring minds want to know!

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

John,

My number one objective in life is to remain employed in this lousy economic environment. Would you like to buy some steel processing equipment? :p

Joe

Dear Joe,

I agree that the economic situation is pretty poor. My company laid off some people last summer and didn't replace some others who left voluntarily. So some of us have been doing double duty. But they have begun to hire for a few positions. So the clouds are thinning out a little.

Unfortunately, we don't have much use for steel making stuff.

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

So it seems our Mr. Thur is not just your Average Joe.

Wow, that was almost Alex-like in its wit.

ChristTeen287

CT,

I'm still ordinary like a cup of Joe.

I guess I will have to take any forum discussions about Martin Luther personal seeing how you'ns will be talking about my GGGGGGGGGGGG-grandfather, Der Reformer.

Joe

So was he married before or after he pinned his thesis to the door?

rose

If my memory serves me it was after the posting, but don't quote me

Dear Cantor Joe,

Both Martin Luther and his wife are honoured as saints in the Lutheran tradition - their "canonization" is effected primarily through the number of churches that are named in their honour within the Lutheran tradition.

I have a cousin who was in a Catholic seminary in Germany and fell in love with a divorced woman.

When told he had a choice, he chose the woman!

And he became a Lutheran religion school teacher . . .

As I think I told you before, I wrote an Akathist to Jan Hus, whom the Lutherans honour and one High Church Lutheran, an Evangelical Catholic as a matter of fact, translated parts of it into German and sings it in his parish in southern Germany . . .

I am myself of the Jablonowskie family and am a descendant of St Vladimir and St Olha - believe it or not

But nothing as dramatic as being connected to Martin Luther!

Alex

Alex,
Maybe we could start a pro-monarchy movement in Ukraine and put you on a throne in Kyiv. How about offering me the "Hetmanate", if things work out. I ride a horse pretty well, I like to drink and sing songs as well.
Lauro

Dear Lauro,

Well, actually Ukie monarchists have looked to a Hetman as a head of state, like a king or prince is elsewhere.

Hetman Paul Skoropadsky was actually related by blood to Britain's Royal Family - when he became Hetman of Ukraine in 1918, 125 nations, including the good ol' USA, recognized Ukraine's sovereignty.

Despite this and all the good things that were coming Ukraine's way, a revolt occurred that unseated the Hetman, contrary to the popular wishes of the people.

I have met Ukrainian generals and others who wish Ukraine did have a more autocratic and royal head of state, like St Vladimir . . .

The Jablonowskie family has a chapel, one of six, at Czestochowa. Auguste Jablonowskie was also a donor to the Pochaiv monastery. They are related also to the Romanovs and to St Alexander Nevsky.

Alex

I'm related to the British Royal Family, as well as King Brian Boru of Ireland and Niall of the Nine Hostages of Ireland.

Other than that, no one really.

ChristTeen287

"I'm related to the British Royal Family, as well as King Brian Boru of Ireland and Niall of the Nine Hostages of Ireland."

CT,

EVERYONE is related to King Brian Boru of Ireland; or didn't you know?