Sebastian Lotzer was the author of the ‘Zwölf Artikel’ (Twelve Articles) in 1525, which have been called the first written description of human rights in Europe.
Sebastian Lotzer was a Participant in the German Peasants’ War (Deutscher Bauernkrieg), a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1525.
The monument was created by the artist Markus Wolf in 2006. It is made of granite in a design of a huge spearhead. On the front side of the monument is written ‘Darumb erfindt sich mit der geschryfft das wir frey seien und wollen sein‘. This is a quote from the twelve articles and means that all men should be free and want to be free as written in the Holy Bible.
On the reverse side of the monument is written:
‘Sebastian Lotzer von Horb schuf im März 1525 mit den zwölf Artikeln ein Monument in der Geschichte der Menschen- und Freiheitsrechte. Nach der Niederschlagung der Erhebung des gemeinen Mannes floh er nach St. Gallen, wo sich seine Spur im Nichts verliert.’ (Roughly: ‘In March 1525, Sebastian Lotzer von Horb created a monument in the history of human rights and freedoms with the twelve articles. After the suppression of the peasant’s uprising, he fled to St. Gallen (Switzerland), he disappeared without a trace)’
The monument was a donation by Dietrich Aldinger in memorial of his wife Anette Aldinger (1952-2001).
Lotzer was a contemporary of Martin Luther. Luther was uncomfortable, with the peasants’ revolts, especially when they invoked the Reformation as an ally. He called upon the peasants and urged them to keep peace. He also wrote to the gentry, however, with some sympathy for the 12 articles: They set up twelve articles, some are which are so just that they bring shame to you before God and world. But almost all of them are in their favour and not drawn up to the best. […] But it is unbearable to tax and slave-drive people like this forever.”
In May 1525 Luther published “Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants”, in which he sided with the nobility and fearing for the godly order and called for the peasant rebels’ complete destruction.
