Martin Luther

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German professor of theology, priest, antisemite, and Protestant reformer. The Luther Bible is a German Bible translated by him. Luther made many antisemitic statements in On the Jews and Their Lies, Vom Schem Hamphoras, and Warning Against the Jews, and Martin Luther's Table Talk is a collection of sayings by him that also includes antisemitic statements.

Quotes

 * “... What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. ... First to set fire to their synagogues or schools ... Second, I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed. ... Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them. ... Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb. ... Fifth, I advise that safe-­conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. ... Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them and put aside for safekeeping. The reason for such a measure is that, as said above, they have no other means of earning a livelihood than usury, and by it they have stolen and robbed from us all they possess. ... Seventh, I recommend putting a flail, an ax, a hoe, a spade, a distaff, or a spindle into the hands of young, strong Jews and Jewesses and letting them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow, as was imposed on the children of Adam (Gen 3[:19]). ...”, Martin Luther, On the Jews and Their Lies, Part XI, 1543.


 * “... There is no other explanation for this than the one cited earlier from Moses - namely, that God has struck them [the Jews] with 'madness and blindness and confusion of mind' [Deuteronomy 28:28]. So we are even at fault in not avenging all this innocent blood of our Lord and of the Christians which they shed for three hundred years after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the blood of the children they have shed since then (which still shines forth from their eyes and their skin). We are at fault in not slaying them. ...”, Martin Luther, On the Jews and Their Lies, Part X, 1543.


 * “... you have the Jews yet in the land, who do great harm. ... Now, here is what the Jews do: daily they only blaspheme and dishonor our Lord Jesus Christ. ... They are our public enemies. They do not stop blaspheming our Lord Christ, calling the Virgin Mary a whore, Christ, a bastard, and us changelings or abortions (Mahlkälber: “meal calves”). If they could kill us all, they would gladly do it. They do it often, especially those who pose as physicians—though sometimes they help—for the devil helps to finish it in the end. They can also practice medicine as in French Switzerland. They administer poison to someone from which he could die in an hour, a month, a year, ten or twenty years. They are able to practice this art. ...”, Martin Luther, Warning Against the Jews, 1546.


 * “... Lord, whom they should honor properly before us. Whoever will not do this is no doubt a malicious Jew, who will not stop blaspheming Christ, draining you dry, and, if he can, killing [you]. ...”, Martin Luther, Warning Against the Jews, 1546.


 * “... When we read that Judas hanged himself, that his belly burst in pieces, and that his bowels fell out, we may take this as a sample how it will go with all Christ’s enemies. The Jews ought to have made a mirror of Judas, and have seen therein how they in like manner should be destroyed. An allegory or mystery herein lies hid, for the belly signifies the whole kingdom of the Jews, which shall fall away and be destroyed, so that nothing thereof remain. ...”, Martin Luther's Table Talk.


 * “The Jews deserve to be hanged on gallows seven times higher than ordinary thieves”, Martin Luther's Table Talk.


 * “We ought to take revenge on the Jews and kill them.”, Martin Luther's Table Talk.