Martin Luther Biography, Part 1: Origin

[This coming school year, in teaching Writing & Literature at Dorothy Sayers Classical School, one book that I will lead my 5th and 6th grade class to read/discuss is Luther the Leader by Virgil Robinson. In preparing to teach this section of the class, I am composing a short biography of Luther.]

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany to Hans and Margaret Luther (originally, "Luder:" this was later changed). Hans and Margaret apparently named their son "Martin" because November 10 was known as "Saint Martin's Eve." Hans was of peasant origin; Hans became a middle-class silver miner and then an owner of several foundries. Martin Luther had several brothers and sisters. As will be discussed [in a following post], Martin Luther had an extremely severe childhood.

[Sources:

Timothy George, Theology of the Reformers (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1988), 51.
Justo Gonzales, The Story of Christianity, Volume 2 (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1985), 15.
Virgil Robinson, Luther the Leader (Ithaca, MI: A.B. Publishing, 1997), 7-8.]