Hermann Staprade (Stapraet), a "Wassenberg Predikant," born at Mörs, Lower Rhine, Germany, where he was very likely a priest. In 1533 he reached Münster, where he was connected with the St. Lambert Church and joined Henrik Rol and Bernhard Rothmann. He promoted the Reformation and was one of the first to attack infant baptism, and was criticized for this by the city of Münster. In response to a statement from Marburg in this matter he and his associates gave in writing their reasons for denouncing infant baptism. On 7 September 1533, Staprade refused to baptize children. It is likely that he had to leave the city because of this. However, on 5 January 1534, he was in Münster and was baptized by the Anabaptist leaders. Little is known about his later fate.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 610. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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