Remember Hartmut XII von Cronberg? He was no ordinary knight. Hartmut was a fervent supporter of Martin Luther’s revolutionary ideas. Here we stand before the Ritter Hartmut Statue. It commemorates this influential figure.
Born in 1488, Hartmut’s life was one of conviction. He fearlessly championed the Reformation. As the eldest surviving child of Johann IX von Cronberg, Hartmut inherited a legacy of leadership. His early training at the court of the Palatine Elector Philip shaped him into a skilled knight.
In 1506, Hartmut stepped into his father’s shoes, becoming the head of the Cronberg knights. He married Anna von Cronberg in 1511. Together they had three sons. Professionally, he became a Palatine bailiff and chief magistrate in Oppenheim.
From 1514, Hartmut’s life grew turbulent. He aligned himself with Franz von Sickingen and his goals. From 1515, Hartmut aided him in campaigns against Worms and the Duke of Lorraine. In 1518, he battled against Hesse with Franz von Sickingen.
1519 marked a high point. Emperor Charles V recognized Hartmut’s efforts with a lifelong pension.
A pivotal moment arrived on April 14, 1521. Hartmut met Martin Luther in Frankfurt am Main. This encounter solidified his commitment to Luther’s cause. Hartmut attended the proceedings in Worms. Richard von Greiffenklau, the Archbishop of Trier, led them.
Driven by strong beliefs, Hartmut’s actions drew him into political turmoil. When preacher Hartmann Ibach was expelled from Frankfurt. Hartmut demanded Ibach’s reinstatement in a published writing. He challenged what he saw as injustices and resigned from his service to the Kaiser. Hartmut voiced his opinions in further publications including a letter to Pope Leo X.
Luther cautioned Hartmut against excessive zeal that could lead to violence.
In 1522, Hartmut joined Franz von Sickingen in a feud against the Bishop of Trier. He protected Sickingens’s seat, the Ebernburg. When Sickingens’s forces were defeated by Trier, the victorious princes turned on Kronberg. Hartmut barely escaped to prepare a defense. Facing an overwhelming force of 3,000 men, Hartmut fled on the night of October 14, 1522. The imperial ban was imposed. Kronberg fell under Hessian control for 19 years.
From November 1522, Hartmut and his family lived in Basel. He traveled to Schweinfurt and Wittenberg to see Luther. Around 1525, he ventured to Saxony and Bohemia. In 1527, he sailed to Madrid to petition Emperor Charles V.
Finally, in 1532, the ban was lifted. By 1533, he was a councilor in Oppenheim. The Treaty of Kassel in November 1541 ended Hartmut’s exile. Hartmut regained Kronberg.
Hartmut lived on the Burg for eight more years. He died on August 7, 1549. His wife Anna passed away on April 14, 1551. They were buried in the chapel of Burg Kronberg. Their shared tombstone remains today.
Standing here before the Ritter Hartmut Statue, we honor a man of courage. Hartmut’s unwavering dedication shaped the course of history. His legacy is etched in stone for us to remember.