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Born near Augsburg in Germany, Hubmaier was at first a typical scholar of his day and vice-rector of a German Catholic university (Ingolstadt). While in a subsequent post at Regensburg he had no compunction -- at the time -- in encouraging or at least not discouraging a nasty anti-Jewish pogrom, though he bitterly regretted it afterwards. While in charge of the parish church of Notre Dame in Waldshut, a small town on the Rhine, he underwent a thoroughly scriptural conversion. There he married Elizabeth Hugline; she became a tower of strength to him in the years that followed.

For the next four fantastically hectic years he preached, debated, held Bible classes, instructed, wrote prolifically in a characteristic captivating and moving style: was arrested, tried, tortured and rearrested not once but several times; signed recantations under duress only to tear them up again; cajoled and argued with prelates and princes -- encouraged others in affliction and trials -- struggled with sickness -- and was finally burnt alive in Vienna. Invariably courteous, gentle, compassionate, conciliatory except where principles were at stake, in his age he was truly a sheep among wolves.

He worked feverishly in Mikulov, Moravia (Czechoslovakia today) for less than two years, building up ecclesias based upon Bible principles rather than ecclesiastical tradition. The Czech authorities -- even under today's communist regime -- acknowledge that Hubmaier was an outstanding example of one wholly dedicated to a biblical christian ideology.