Lecture Series on the Peasants' Wars
as part of the special exhibition “Storm and Retribution”
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 – Lecture: “Peasants’ War? The Uprisings in Central Europe, 1524–1526”
Prof. Martin Knoll, Ph.D. (University of Salzburg)
On April 21, 2026, historian Martin Knoll presented an interesting overview of the uprisings that had shaken large parts of Central Europe between 1524 and 1526. Our special exhibition focuses specifically on the Salzburg Peasants’ War, a particularly momentous chapter in this history—and Knoll’s lecture provided the broader European context for it.
The question mark in the title alone hinted at the central question: Was it even a “Peasants’ War”? The term is a simplification that was shaped primarily by 19th-century historiography. In fact, it was not only peasants who fought—miners, artisans, and the urban lower classes were also part of the uprisings. And it can hardly be called a unified “war”: rather, it was a series of regional uprisings that coincided in time and space but did not form a cohesive movement. Knoll placed this complexity within its historical context, also examining its long-term impact—how later generations have remembered, interpreted, and appropriated the events for their own purposes. A question that proved to be surprisingly relevant today.
The numerous visitors listened to the presentation with rapt attention and curiosity. During the cozy get-together that followed, there was a long and lively discussion with the speaker—exactly the kind of evening that events like this are meant to provide.
Many thanks to Martin Knoll for the enriching evening!
From left to right: State Representative and Mayor Hannes Schernthaner, Vice Chairman Erich Rexeisen, Dr. Angelika Gautsch, Chairman Hans Jäger, Dr. Andrea Dillinger, Dr. Martin Knoll, Manuel Scherer-Windisch, MA
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 – Lecture: “History You Can Touch: The Peasants’ War Between the Battlefield and the Blacksmith’s Forge”
Dr. Mag. Florian Knoll
On May 26, 2026, Florian Messner from the University of Innsbruck transported the audience at the Meixnerhaus into a world of steel, tactics, and craftsmanship: His lecture shed light on the military dimensions of the Peasants’ War—and made them tangible in the truest sense of the word.
For around 1525, two eras collided: The classic knights of the Middle Ages were experiencing their final heyday, while Landsknechts armed with pikes and firearms were already heralding the art of warfare in the modern era. Messner traced this transformation by examining the forces involved, their tactics, and their equipment—from both historical and archaeological perspectives. What makes the uprisings of 1525–26 so fascinating from a military standpoint became clear: they occurred precisely during this period of upheaval, which determined how Europe would wage war in the future.
A special highlight of the evening was the hands-on material Messner had brought along: swords, pieces of armor, and forged components invited attendees to touch and marvel—and provided moments that no textbook can replace. Messner also provided insight into his current research project, Klang2, which explores the fascinating journey from ore to finished sword and combines archaeology, metallurgy, and experimental archaeology.
An entertaining and insightful evening – many thanks to Florian Messner!
