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German Peasants' War 1524 - 1526: The Peasants' Wars raged in southern Germany during the Reformation. From 1524, the peasants fought against the nobility, who oppressed them. They demanded more rights and the abolition of serfdom. It was no coincidence that the peasant uprisings coincided with the Reformation. Martin Luther had prepared the intellectual breeding ground with his writings. The peasants demanded human rights in 12 articles. But the nobility reacted with rejection. A violent confrontation was inevitable. On April 16, 1525, rebellious peasants in Weinsberg killed Count Ludwig von Helfenstein and his companions. This was the prelude to bloody clashes in numerous regions of southern Germany. While the uprisings had begun on the High Rhine, by 1526 they had spread as far as Thuringia, Alsace and the Alpine countries. As the peasant “Haufen" (troops) were no match for the equipment and organization of the armies, the cannons ultimately won the day. Around 70,000 peasants died fighting for a better life. Wood engraving based on a drawing by Victor Schivert Romanian-German painter, 1863 - 1929), published in 1891.