Story Highlights
- historical event: Martin Luther was born on this day, and was baptized the very next day on the feast day of St. Martin. It is, of course, the obvious reason why he got the name Martin.
The famous Protestant theologian Martin Luther was born on this day in the German town of Eisleben. His father’s name was Hans Luder (Ludher), and he was a mining entrepreneur by occupation – typical for that part of Germany. Specifically, the Saxon miners were once known throughout Central and Eastern Europe as expert miners.
It is interesting that Martin’s family name was differently written through history, as Lüder, Luder, Loder, Ludher, Lotter, Lutter, or even Lauther. It was only in his twenties that Martin chose to use the form Luther, allegedly because of the similarities with the Greek word eleutheros (“free”).
Martin Luther was born on this day, and was baptized the very next day on the feast day of St. Martin. It is, of course, the obvious reason why he got the name Martin. He was the eldest son, so his father was expecting a lot from him. Namely, the father wanted Martin to become a lawyer. The story about how Martin nonetheless decided to become a priest is well-known. Specifically, on one stormy night, while returning to the university where he studied law, a lightning bolt struck near him. This frightened him immensely, and he vowed to become a monk. Indeed, he left his law studies, sold his books, and entered the monastery. His subsequent break with the Roman pope had a huge impact on the history of Europe and the world.
