My Lord Katie: Katharina von Bora Luther

Escape

Leaving the Cloister

On the night before Easter 1523, Leonhard Koppe, city councilor of Torgau, drove a wagon away from the Nimbschen cloister Marienthron with twelve nuns on board. Despite the legends, there is no evidence that the nuns hid in herring barrels or changed clothes.

We do know, however, that the smuggling of nuns was a capital offense punishable by both church and state. Only in areas friendly to the Reformation was such activity tolerated.

Among the twelve nuns was Katharina von Bora, who had become aware of righteousness separate of works and Christian freedom through the writings of Dr. Martin Luther of Wittenberg. It was towards Wittenberg that Herr Koppe's wagon was headed.

Katie's Plight

The runaway nuns had three options: return to their families, get married, or find somewhere to live. Dr. Luther, who had personally taken up the nun's cause, found Katharina von Bora a temporary home with the Lucas Cranach family.

In the spring of 1523 a Nuremberg patrician's son and former student of the University, Jerome Paumgartner, returned to Wittenberg. He and Katharina were introduced and a deep friendship developed between the two. But when he returned to Nuremberg that summer nothing was heard from him again. Even Luther wrote to him warning that Katharina would find another if he did not act quickly. But by then it was over. No doubt his family convinced him not to have anything to do with a runaway nun.

Other suitors were presented to Katharina. There was Dr. Caspar Glatz, pastor of Orlamünde. But Katharina found "neither desire nor love" in herself for him. Next, there was Nicholas von Armsdorf. But he was a confirmed bachelor. Finally Katie suggested "Doctor Martinus," the very man who had taken up her cause.

Kitty, My Rib

Marriage to Doctor Luther! She still found it difficult to believe that he had actually proposed. "Why did I accept so quickly?" she asked herself. "What was it that made me say yes right away?"

Marriage to a great man like Doctor Luther was certainly a far cry from any of her dreams. She realized that being his wife would entail a lot of responsibility. "Now I shall no longer be Katharina, runaway nun; I shall be the wife of the great Doctor Luther," she thought, "and everything I do or say will reflect upon him. But this must be what God intended for me or He would never have moved the doctor to ask me to marry him. It's like an assignment from God."

She started for the door but stopped for an instant and closed her eyes. She remembered that Doctor Luther had not said he loved her; he had said he was taking a wife so as to set an example. She prayed, "God, keep me humble. Help me to be a good wife to your servant Doctor Luther." A smile played in the corners of her mouth. "And perhaps, dear Father," she added, "You can also manage to give me a little love and happiness." Straightening her shoulders, she went downstairs.

--E. Jane Mall in Kitty, My Rib published by Concordia, 1959