Profiles of Anabaptist Women: Sixteenth-Century Reforming Pioneers

Anabaptist Women in Tirol who Recanted

Anna Gasser of Liisen 149 records available to us. We only know that, unlike most pregnant women who were released until they had given birth, Anna Gasser had had to remain in prison and there lost her child.59 Even less information is available for the Mairin regarding when or where she had her child. We do know, however, that early in July 1529, the request of Stoffl Mair and Benedict Sackmann for the freedom to come and go as they chose in and around Bozen [Handel und Wandel], was granted to them, but not to their wives. Moreover, the judge was advised to make sure that Anna Sackmann and the Mairin fulfilled the conditions of their pardon.60 This is the last we hear about these two families, but Anna Gasser's story continues. Later that year, in October, the court discussed the welfare of Anna Gasser's living children. The property and goods of arrested Anabaptists were confiscated routinely by the government. In cases where Anabaptist prisoners managed to escape and did not return, their property was inventoried and sold, with the income going to the government. This was especially significant when Anabaptist parents left behind children who needed financial support. In some cases family members, or other persons responsible for the children, then requested possession of the property or the income from it. Questions relating to the Gasser property had been raised by the Pfleger of Ritten soon after Hans's execution.61 His wife's continued imprisonment may have delayed dealing with these matters. However, when Anna Gasser was pardoned, the court had to take action, and a guardian was duly appointed for her children. The appointment of a guardian could indicate that some of her children were still dependent.62 On the other hand, in property matters, which were under the jurisdiction of the civil law, a woman was not allowed to speak for herself or her children. However, when arrested for heresy, a woman did not need a guardian to speak for her because accusations involving heretical activities came under criminal law and required every person to speak on his or her own behalf.63 The sources do not reveal how the court ruled in regard to Anna's children. However, this same report discussed Anna's request to leave the district in which she lived, something that had been denied her when she was first pardoned. The government reasoned that giving such permission would only tempt her to leave permanently, and therefore denied the request.64 Their suspicions were indeed correct. Anna took matters into her own hands and in three months was gone, leaving her home and children behind.65 There was nothing new in her choice; she had disregarded government instructions before in order to obey a higher authority and make her faith in God a priority. For Anna Gasser, living without her children became a matter of course.66 Anna Gasser's story illustrates that some Tirolean women and men continued their socio­economic, political, and religious protest by joining the 150 Profiles of Anabaptist Women outlawed Anabaptist movement. Anna held radical political and religious views and was not afraid to act on them, either in the Peasants' War or the outlawed Anabaptist movement. Although she chose to resist government authority, her participation was not as intense as that of her husband or she, too, would have been executed. However, as the wife of a peasant leader and Anabaptist, and the sister of an Anabaptist preacher, she made choices with severe consequences. She endured the shame of a public beating at a time when she was already pregnant. Like many other Anabaptists, on her first release from prison she rejoined the movement. At her second arrest, her continued imprisonment speaks for the danger she still posed to the government, even after her husband had been executed. Not only did she become a widow due to Anabaptism, she eventually lost all her children, including one who had not yet been born. Despite these losses, Anna Gasser survived persecution and probably lived out her life among the Anabaptists in Moravia. The pivotal role that women like Anna had in their families, households, and congregations was essential to the establishment of Anabaptism in the Tirol. Without their participation the movement could not have survived. Notes 1 Geographically, the Brenner Pass is the dividing line between North and South Tirol. This profile is based on the published court records edited and summarized in TA...