Sex Cult Apocalypse: How Religious Fanatics Turned a German City Into a Bloody Dystopia episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 10, 2025 · 17 MIN

Sex Cult Apocalypse: How Religious Fanatics Turned a German City Into a Bloody Dystopia

from Weird History

In 1534, the ordinary German city of Münster transformed overnight into a religious dystopia when radical Anabaptists seized control and declared it the "New Jerusalem." Led by a charismatic tailor-turned-prophet named Jan van Leiden, they expelled all non-believers, burned all books except the Bible, abolished private property, and instituted mandatory polygamy – with the self-proclaimed king taking 16 wives for himself. What followed was a nightmarish 18-month siege where starving citizens were forbidden to leave under penalty of death, dissenters were publicly executed, and the streets ran with blood as the "holy kingdom" descended into madness. Discover how religious fervor, apocalyptic prophecy, and charismatic manipulation created one of history's most disturbing theocratic regimes – and why its shocking lessons about the dangers of extremism remain relevant today.Support the show here via Paypal:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=DWSYBNBMAY9AL&no_recurring=0&item_name=Thanks+for+your+help%21&currency_code=USD

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 10, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Sex Cult Apocalypse: How Religious Fanatics Turned a German City Into a Bloody Dystopia

0:00 17:21

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Weird History?

This episode is 17 minutes long.

When was this Weird History episode published?

This episode was published on March 10, 2025.

Can I download this Weird History episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!