Martin Luther's Nicknames

Just for fun, I have compiled a list of Martin Luther's nicknames. When Luther was in college and graduate school to become a lawyer between 1497 and 1505, he spent so much time in public debate and was so good at it that he earned the nickname "the philosopher."

The Philosopher

In 1518 Martin Luther began the reformation by posting the 95 Theses and a papal bull was issued on June 15, 1520 condemning him and other reformers for questioning Roman Catholic teaching, "Listen to our prayers, for foxes have arisen seeking to destroy the vineyard whose winepress you alone have trod.... The wild boar from the forest seeks to destroy it and every wild beast feeds upon it."

A fox and a wild boar

After the papal bull was issued, Luther grew out his hair and beard and went into hiding in Wittenberg, going by Junker Jörg. The German word Junker means an aristocrat, young German nobleman, young Lord, country squire, or lesser nobleman.

Junker Jörg

Later in life Luther, comparing Melanchthon and his style said, “Philipp stabs, too, but only with pins and needles.  The pricks are hard to heal and they hurt.  But when I stab, I do it with a heavy pike used to hunt boars.” Luther also stated that Rome was being stubborn and "A knotty stump requires a tough wedge."  During Luther's funeral, Melanchthon stated that a "bad disease" (Catholicism) needed a "harsh doctor" (luther)

A heavy pike, a tough wedge, and a harsh doctor