Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal

Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal
Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal
Location of Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal within Schmalkalden-Meiningen district
Coordinates	50°31′59″N 10°25′59″E / 50.53306°N 10.43306°E / 50.53306; 10.43306Coordinates: 50°31′59″N 10°25′59″E / 50.53306°N 10.43306°E / 50.53306; 10.43306
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Thuringia
District	Schmalkalden-Meiningen
Municipal assoc.	Salzbrücke
Mayor	Martin Hofmann
Basic statistics
Area	5.59 km2 (2.16 sq mi)
Elevation	295 m  (968 ft)
Population	1,248 (31 December 2010)[1]
- Density	223 /km2 (578 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	SM
Postal code	98617
Area code	036949
Website	www.obermassfeld-grimmenthal.de

Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal is a municipality in the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen, in Thuringia, Germany.

Martin Luther criticism of pilgrimages to Grimmenthal

A chapel at Grimmenthal was erected by a Würzburg Captain which was dedicated by the Suffragan bishop of Würzburg Prince-bishop Lorenz von Bibra, Georg von Bipolis, on August 24, 1498. The number of pilgrims grew so much and the money came in so abundantly that a bigger church had to be built by the chapel which was inaugurated on May 1, 1502. Martin Luther had nothing nice to say about this:

“Through the big fraud of the devil came about the pilgrimage of Grimmenthal servant and maids, shepards and women left their jobs and ran away to Grimmenthal. It’s right Grimmenthal, valley of fury (vallis furoris); and evidently nobody talks against it. The Bishop of Würzburg keeps his mouth closed and even agrees with this pilgrimage.”(daher ist kommen der grosse Betrug des Teufels mit den Wallfahrten in Grimmenthal, da Knecht und Mägde, Hirten, Weiber ihren Beruf liessen austehen und liefen dahin. Ist recht Grimmenthal, vallis furoris; da war Niemand, der ein Wort dawider geredet. Der Bishop von Würzburg schwieg stille dazu und williget darein.)

References

1. ^ "Bevölkerung nach Gemeinden, erfüllenden Gemeinden und Verwaltungsgemeinschaften" (in German). Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik. 31 December 2010. http://www.statistik.thueringen.de/datenbank/TabAnzeige.asp?tabelle=gg000102%7C%7C. 

• DR. JOHANNES BAIER, Dr. Martin Luther’s Aufenthalt in Würzburg, 1895, Chapter 5 Bischof Lorenz von Bibra und Dr. Martin Luther. VERLAG UND DRUCK DER STAHEL’SCHEN K. HOF- UND UNIVERSITÄTS- BUCH- UND KUNSTHANDLUNG.