Andreas Bodenstein Karlstadt (1486–1541), German Protestant theologian, originally a Catholic priest, university teacher, contemporary of Martin Luther, and radical reformer. He studied in Erfurt, Cologne, and Wittenberg. Karlstadt was in contact with many Jáchymov citizens from the 1520s whom he visited between 1520 and 1524. In the autumn of 1522, he preached in Jáchymov, when he unsuccessfully tried to obtain a preacher’s position. He dedicated nine tracts to the citizens of Jáchymov, among which is the book On Canonical Scriptures. With his iconoclasm and anti-intellectualism, he gained many followers and opponents, and at the same time caused the demise of many schools on the Saxon side of the Ore Mountains. Karlstadt’s opposition to music was also well-known. His Jáchymov supporters included the Head Mining Official H. von Könneritz and the Chief Mine Master Wolfgang Sturtz. His split with Luther then also led to the cooling of his Jáchymov supporters. Karlstadt’s iconoclasm had little impact on the town because almost no images or statues figured there in the early period.
