After a pleasant 3 hour train trip from Amsterdam, with one change in Rheine, I arrived at Münster Hauptbahnhof and walked the short distance to my exquisite Airbnb. Although small, it’s equipped with a brand new kitchen and bath with German faucets, appliances and even a DeLonghi espresso/cappuccino maker. There’s also a Sonos, so I’m listening to some baroque music after a lengthy walk around town.

I’ve had a somewhat morbid fascination with Münster since I read a book about the Hapsburgs in high school, where a number of the students were Mennonites. They were mildly antipathetic towards Catholics, despite their pacifist leanings. After reading the book, I understood why, even if they didn’t.

The Mennonites are Anabaptists, and their origins lay in the German Peasants’ War of the early 16th century. While the revolt was eventually suppressed by imperial forces under the Catholic Hapsburg emperor, radical Anabaptists later seized the Catholic Westphalian city of Münster in 1534 and established a radical theocracy with a proto-communist patina. The churches and monasteries were sacked and the local priests and nobles were executed. The bishop fled and the Anabaptists set up a communal state. Even the Lutherans were appalled and left the city. The imperial Catholic forces besieged the city for 15 months before finally entering the city and crushing the rebellion.

The Anabaptist leaders were tortured and placed in cages that were hoisted up the steeple of St. Lambert’s Church where the carrion birds feasted on their emaciated bodies. The Anabaptists were then expelled from Germany and Holland and fled to Switzerland. There they renounced their radicalism and adopted pacifism under the leadership of Menno Simons, who helped organize their emigration to Pennsylvania in the early 18th century. I occasionally told Mennonites about Münster, much to their consternation!

Like Vilnius in Lithuania, Münster is a fascinating city that is still somewhat unknown to the tourist crowds. It’s full of lovely medieval streets and churches and beautiful parks and residential areas. It’s the kind of city to meander about in.

Its citizens are also friendly, perhaps because it’s also a university town. I stopped by a chic little cafe and had a pleasant conversation with a young woman who was the server that day. I was even able to recall some German, even though her English was perfect.

After the wine stop, I walked through a cold rain to St. Lambert’s to view the infamous iron cages. From there, I made my way to the St Paulus Dom (Cathedral).

A docent at the cathedral invited me to come by around 6:30 for an organ concert. After another bout of rain, I took her up on her offer and stayed inside for about a half-hour enjoying some Bach and Liszt works before heading back to my Airbnb and grabbing a quick dinner at a cafe. I’m looking forward to perhaps renting a bike and exploring more tomorrow.