Bemd (Bernhard) Krechting, a brother of Hinrich Krechting, was a Catholic priest and educator at the court of the Count of Bentheim, Westphalia, Germany, and later a priest at Gildehaus. Here he began to preach Anabaptist views and consequently had to leave. He proceeded to Münster in 1534 and began to take an active part in the establishment of the Anabaptist kingdom, functioning as a minister and member of the council of Jan van Leyden. When the city was conquered by the bishop's troops he was tried, cruelly tortured, and put to death on 22 January 1536 together with Jan van Leyden and Bernhard Knipperdolling.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 234. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2009 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.