To Mrs. Martin Luther [Eisenach,]1 July 26, 1540 Although Luther is unsure just where his wife is as he writes this letter to her, he asks that some beer be ready for him on his return to Wittenberg, which he hopes will be soon. He comments briefly on the outcome of the Colloquy of Hagenau, on Melanchthon's recovery, and on fires in the Thuringian Forest.
He encourages his family to pray and commends all of them to God.
Text in German: WA, Br 9, 205.2
To the wealthy lady at Zölsdorf3, Mrs. Doctor Catherine Luther,4 residing in the flesh at Wittenberg and living in the spirit at Zölsdorf, to my beloved: Personal
If she is absent, then Doctor Pomer,5 the pastor, is to break [the seal] and read [the letter] … Please6 see to it that you have a good glass7 of beer waiting for us. God willing, we shall leave tomorrow, Tuesday, for Wittenberg.8
Nothing was accomplished at the Diet of Hagenau;9 effort and labor are lost, and expenses have been incurred for nothing. Yet even if we accomplished nothing else, we fetched Master Philip from hell, and shall cheerfully bring him home from the grave,10 God willing and by his grace. Amen.
The devil is on the loose, himself possessed by new, [more] evil devils,11 burning and doing damage which is terrible.12 In the Thuringian Forest more than one thousand Acker13 of my Most Gracious Lord's14 trees have been burned to the ground, and are still burning; in addition, today the news is that the forest near Werdau15 and in many other places also has started to burn. No firefighting does any good. This will make wood expensive.
Pray, and have [the children] pray against that horrible Satan who most violently attacks us not only in soul and body but also in property and honor. May Christ our Lord come down from heaven and also start a little fire16 for the devil and his companions which the devil would be unable to extinguish. Amen.
I am not sure whether this letter17 will find you at Wittenberg or Zölsdorf;18 otherwise I would like to write about more things. With this I commend you to God. Amen. Greetings to our children, the boarders,19 and all, etc.
MARTIN LUTHER, DOCTOR To Mrs. Martin Luther [Wittenberg,] September 18, 1541 Luther hurriedly wrote1 this short note to his wife (who apparently was at Zölsdorf)2 so that she would not be frightened if she heard rumors about the Turks, and because he himself was worried about his wife, having received no letters from her. He tells Katie to make the necessary arrangements and come home; as he views the present situation, there is danger at hand, and God will punish "our" sins.
Text in German: WA, Br 9, 518–519.3
To my dear mistress of the house, Katie Ludern4 von Bora:
Grace and peace. Dear Katie! I am letting Urban5 run to you with this letter, so that you should not be frightened if rumors6 about the Turks7 reach you. Also, it seems strange to me that you write or send absolutely nothing to us even though you certainly know that we are concerned about you because Mainz,8
Henry,9 and many of the nobility in Meissen10 are very hostile toward us.11 Sell and arrange what you are able to, and come home.12 For it appears to me that a storm is brewing13 and that God will punish our sins with the rods of his wrath.
With this I commend you to God. Amen.