Reformation

The church becomes Protestant in 1539. Martin Luther’s Wittenberg colleague Philipp Melanchthon visits the town for a church inspection. In addition to theological questions, structural changes are discussed. The elaborately crafted arm reliquary of Good Conrad is removed. However, as the town church is allowed to remain in the possession of the Order of St. John at the behest of the sovereign and is only made available for use by the Protestant community, building activities are limited at the time.

A very well-preserved confessional from the Lutheran church can still be seen in the church today. Luther was not against confession to achieve absolution, but he was against auricular confession for the rich confession of sins. The church itself remains a cultural center, but the building fabric is beginning to suffer.