Hans Kiessling was one of the leading personalities of the Augsburg Anabaptists, holding the office of deacon. His activity ended with the martyrs' synod, which met in Augsburg the last week of August 1527 (see Augsburg), and in which he participated. He was seized before the week had passed. On the rack information on other members of the congregation was expressed from him. Other arrests followed. On 18 October 1527 he was banished from the city as an Anabaptist ringleader with Eitelhans Langenmantel, Entires Widholz, Gall Fischer, and Peter Scheppach. The exiles met in surrounding villages for mutual comfort and strength. Langenmantel was repeatedly visited in Göppingen by Kiessling, Widholz, and Fischer; he was living in the house of Laux Lang, a brother of the archbishop of Salzburg and Cardinal Matthias Lang. In 1529 Kiessling was permitted to return to Augsburg. Nothing is known about his further activity.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 175. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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