John Korbmacher, George Raeck and Eustace Kuter, in the Year 1560

In the same year, on the first Friday after Saint Martin's day, brother John Korbmacher, a minister of the Word of God and of His church (who was frequently sent out into the work of the Lord), was arrested for the faith and the Word of God, near Rosenhaus, in Bavaria, together with George Raeck, a deacon, and another brother named Eustace Kuter, who were taken together to Innspruck, and there handed over to the authorities. John Korbmacher, because he was a minister, was taken to Fulleburg, where he was put into a deep tower full of vermin. Bats fluttered around him, mice carried off his food, and many spooks haunted the place where he lay, so that it would have terrified anyone without a firm trust in God.

When the lord wanted to speak with him, he had him called by name, telling him to get ready quickly and prepare himself for suffering. The other two brothers were imprisoned at Innspruck, in the Krauterthurm, and all three remained in confinement until the close of the year 1560. Afterward, on the 2nd of January, the authorities examined John Korbmacher severely, and Eustace and George Raeck as well, each one separately. They faithfully answered many articles, all of which were written down, together with their confession concerning them, and this was then sent to Vienna and elsewhere, as something new.

After this they were led back into the towers or prisons mentioned before, where they remained until the Friday after Saint Vitus' Day, which was the 13th of June, when they were sentenced to death. On that occasion a great crowd was present, and the brothers spoke boldly to the lords of the court and the jurors, showing them that the sentence and judgment which they passed upon them in the sight of God, since they condemned innocent blood, would rise up as a testimony of their condemnation. And when they said that they had to judge according to the imperial decree and mandate, John Korbmacher said: "O you blind judges, we must certainly judge according to our heart and conscience, if we want to give an account of it before God. So if you judge according to the imperial mandate, how will you answer for it before God?" And Eustace said: "What have we to do with the imperial mandate, that you read it to us? Read our confession, which we have testified with the holy, divine and biblical Scriptures to be the truth of God, for which we must suffer." So they spoke boldly, and urged the people to repent. The brothers George Raeck and Eustace were led out of the court first, and George began to cry out to the people, to repent, to leave off sin, and also to enter the way of truth, since it was the truth for which he was to be executed today.

Then John Korbmacher was also led out, so that they met joyfully at the place of execution, and praised God. A brother named Leonard Dax went to them and shook hands with them, and they said farewell to one another. They rejoiced greatly over this, and praised God that they had still seen a pious brother, who would tell the brothers and the church of their end. Then John Korbmacher, the minister, began to speak to the people, and to urge them to repent of their sins, and to follow the truth of God, so that they might not be damned, but saved in Christ Jesus. Indeed, he lifted up his voice with the utmost boldness, and said: "What I have taught and confessed is the divine truth, and I will testify to it with my blood." So he did not stop preaching repentance, so that the judge said several times: "O John, stop a little." John then stopped for a little while, but soon he spoke again, so that he became almost hoarse from speaking. Almost up to their last moment they urged the people to repent. They were not prevented from speaking; full liberty was given them to speak. They were also permitted to talk with each other. They also prayed fervently to God, praising and glorifying Him that He had kept them courageous and steadfast until then, and asking Him to continue to keep them just as faithfully until death (which was now at hand), and to receive their spirits into His hands, now that body and soul were about to be parted.

Their sentence was then read, and among other things these articles were particularly mentioned. First: they do not believe that the holy body of Jesus Christ is in the sacrament, but observe the Supper as Christ observed it with His disciples. Secondly: they do not believe in infant baptism, but in the baptism of adults, as Christ commanded it. Thirdly: they believe in marriage (which article they confessed, and did not deny); and other articles like these, which were written there and read, along with what they thought and confessed about the Roman church. But this was written in as abusive language as the judge could possibly put it.

They were then led to the place of execution, called the Schweinacker, near the Schafhuetten. There Eustace, who was feeble and sick according to the flesh, was beheaded first. After him Brother George Raeck stepped forward cheerfully to the executioner, and cried out with a joyful heart: "Here I forsake wife and children, house and home, body and life, for the faith and the divine truth." He then knelt down, and the executioner beheaded him also.

John Korbmacher was kept for the last, and when he saw the other two lying there beheaded, he said: "My brothers, you who have overcome shall inherit all things." The executioner then took him, tied him to a ladder, kindled the fire, and threw him alive into it. He also laid the two beheaded bodies upon a pile of wood, and burned them to ashes.

So they testified to their faith in Christ with their word, their life and their death, indeed, willingly and patiently, with their body and blood, confessing that God gave them such strength as a blessing; and so they departed from this world with firm confidence, to go to the eternal fatherland.