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A remarkable invention awaited Luther's German translation of the [[Bible]]:  in 1447 the German [[Johannes Gutenberg]] had already invented the movable-type printing press.  This enabled Luther's translation to be printed for the public in September 1522.  The Christian world would never be the same again.  (The Gutenberg Bible, which put the Latin Vulgate in book format, had been printed in 1455 and it is the oldest existing book in the West.)

A remarkable invention awaited Luther's German translation of the [[Bible]]:  in 1447 the German [[Johannes Gutenberg]] had already invented the movable-type printing press.  This enabled Luther's translation to be printed for the public in September 1522.  The Christian world would never be the same again.  (The Gutenberg Bible, which put the Latin Vulgate in book format, had been printed in 1455 and it is the oldest existing book in the West.)

Charles V did all he could to stop this knew Christian religion we now call Lutheranism.  In 1544, Charles V even sent armies against the German princes.  But the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 gave each German ruler the right to choose the religion for his state.  The princes in southern Germany selected Roman Catholicism, but the princes in northern Germany chose Lutheranism.  After World War II, when Germany split into West and East Germany, the West German part contained the predominantly Roman Catholic regions and the East German part consisted of the mostly Lutheran regions.

Charles V tried to stop the spread of Lutheranism.  In 1544, Charles V sent armies against the German princes, but the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 gave each German ruler the right to choose the religion for his state.  The princes in southern Germany selected Roman Catholicism, but the princes in northern Germany chose Lutheranism.  After World War II, when Germany split into West and East Germany, the West German part contained the predominantly Roman Catholic regions and the East German part consisted of the mostly Lutheran regions.

Martin Luther continued to write, and taught at a German university for his financial support.  He wrote extremely harsh things about the pope and about Jewish people, even urging the destruction of their homes and the burning of synagogues and schools.  Historians debate today whether Luther's anti-Semitic writings were responsible, directly or indirectly, for the Holocaust by the Germans in World War II.  Luther harshly criticized many peoples in addition to Jews; a pamphlet of his in 1545 was entitled "Against the Roman Papacy an Institution of the Devil," and he urged burning witches to death.  Some of Luther’s writings seem quite vulgar by today's standards.   

Martin Luther continued to write, and taught at a German university for his financial support.  He wrote extremely harsh things about the pope and about Jewish people, even urging the destruction of their homes and the burning of synagogues and schools.  Historians debate today whether Luther's anti-Semitic writings were responsible, directly or indirectly, for the Holocaust by the Germans in World War II.  Luther harshly criticized many peoples in addition to Jews; a pamphlet of his in 1545 was entitled "Against the Roman Papacy an Institution of the Devil," and he urged burning witches to death.  Some of Luther’s writings seem quite vulgar by today's standards.