Early Life

Do you know what the date is that you were born? Well, no one knows for sure when Anna Reinhard was born. It’s estimated to be around 1485 in Zurich Switzerland. She was the daughter of a middleclass landlord. We don’t know much about her youth but what we do know is that she was extremely beautiful, smart, and very kind. At age sixteen she already had many admirers, one of them was John Meyer of Knonau who was a few years her senior. Unfortunately, John’s father did not approve so he sent his son away for two years hoping to make him forget about her. While John was away his father arranged a marriage for him with a daughter of an ancient noble family. However, when John returned, he sought Anna, she was now eighteen and even more beautiful. But his father still refused. John and Anna secretly married in a village chapel in 1504. John’s father was so furious with him that he cut John out of his inheritance, forcing John to make his own way. In 1511 he was elected to the city council.

First Family

Five years after marriage, John and Anna had their first child, a son they named after John’s father Gerald. One day Anna’s servant was in the village with Gerald, when John’s father happened to look out the window and see Gerald. He found out from a friend that Gerald was his grandson so then he wanted to adopt him. Anna and John were glad to see some reconciliation, so they agreed. Gerald became his grandfather’s delight in his declining years.

Widowed

John became a well-respected man and became a member of the Great Council of Two Hundred. John enlisted in the Swiss army and was sent to fight with Italy against France. Unfortunately, he returned in bad health and died in 1517, leaving Anna a widow with a son and two daughters. Sadly. one of their daughters died in infancy.

Ulrich Zwingli

During this time, a Swiss statesman and true shepherd of God’s flock by the name of Ulrich Zwingli was eleven years pastoring a church in Glarus. He would later become one of the leading figures of the Reformation. While preaching in Glarus he studied classics and the Bible in its original languages. Before leaving Glarus he visited Basel where Erasmus was working on printing the New Tesament in Greek, its original language.. Zwingli left Basel with a copy in hand, being one of the first Reformers to possess one.
Before this the New Testament was only available in a translation. Now all who were studying Greek would be able to read the New Testament in its original language. But Erasmus soon grew afraid when he found that the reading of the gospel in Greek aroused great interest in examining the Roman Catholic doctrines. It uncovered superstitions, morality and false teachings on penances and indulgences.

The Great Church (Grossmünster) in Zurich

Anna attended Zurich Cathedral. She was there the first Sunday Ulrich Zwingli took up his new post as a priest in late 1518. The canons (clergy who ruled at a cathedral) at the church were surprised when Zwingli said he’d preach through the book of Matthew first going line by line. The canons thought this was unusual since they were used to the preacher reading a few lines. Some canons were eager to hear Zwingli preach this way, others weren’t too happy. But the church was full on the first Sunday Zwingli preached and he preached passionately from his heart. The people never heard preaching the way Zwingli preached. Zwingli said, “Christ is your righteousness. Christ is your salvation. You are nothing, you can do nothing, but Christ is all, and he can do everything.” This was against what they taught. The Roman Catholic Church taught you had to do penance, good works, and buy indulgences to go to heaven. Zwingli was thirty-five.

Anna and Zwingli Meet

Anna was struggling to provide for her family since she had such a small income. She attended Zwingli’s parish and was one of Zwingli’s most attentive listeners. Gerald, who was Anna’s son, was the one who brought Anna and Zwingli together. Zwingli soon became interested in the boy’s brightness and became his tutor. When Gerald was just eleven years old Zwingli sent him to Basel Switzerland Literary Center. Gerald’s teacher saw that he was really bright, so he sent word to Zwingli, “Have you any more Zurichers like this Gerald Meyer send them all to me.” But Gerald soon chose the wrong friends and began to live immorally. Zwingli seeing this wrote a book specifically for Gerald in 1523 that he titled “Directions for the Educated of a Young Nobleman.” The book was about biblical morals and how a Christian should live their life. The book convicted Gerald and he was saved. He began a new life. Gerald was a devoted disciple of Zwingli and He became a member of Council at age eighteen and the president of city council of 21 men. Gerald had grown into a tall, godly young man. And at sixteen he married the daughter of a Zurich councilor.
Gerald’s and Zwingli’s special bond was what brought Anna and Zwingli together. Because Zwingli filled the role of a father-like figure he became more concerned about Anna and they soon fell in love.

Marriage

Since priests were not allowed to marry, Anna and Zwingli struggled to pursue their relationship. They feared it would ruin Zwingli’s ministry. So, again Anna married secretly in 1522. They didn’t tell anyone except close friends about their marriage. But in 1524 the news of their marriage began to spread beyond Zurich. Zwingli was the first Reformer to marry. When the Roman Catholic Church found out they were not too pleased. They charged Zwingli for breaking his vows of celibacy. He and Anna eventually had a public ceremony. The Roman Catholics accused Zwingli of marrying Anna for her beauty and wealth. Zwingli responded that she wasn’t even worth four hundred guilders.

Hospitality

Nobody knows why but after Anna married, she stopped wearing jewelry, exquisite dresses, and began wearing plain dresses like other women. Anna was a caring housewife and Zwingli called her his “dearest housewife.” Anna was very hospitable, welcoming, providing, and entertaining doctors who came from all over Switzerland and friends of Zwingli who came to talk with him. At this time in history there were lots of protestant refugees that Zwingli and Anna warmly welcomed into their home. Whenever Zwingli was away, she was the center of attention. The upper Chancellor of Silesia who stayed at their home in 1526 was awestricken with Anna’s hospitality and he said he would, “Never forget the Zwingli’s home.” He called Anna an “Angel Wife.” Anna house kept, took medicine to those who were ill and spoke Scripture to them. Zwingli was a kind father to their children, often playing with them and playing the fiddle for them, which they loved to hear.

God’s Word Translated and Dispersed

Zwingli and other ministers began translating the Bible in 1525. Anna was thoroughly pleased to hear the gospel in her own tongue. Zwingli often read his translations to her and when he had completed the Bible he gave her the first copy. It was her favorite book. Anna did her best to disperse the Bibles, trying to make sure every family in the congregation owned a copy. This translation greatly helped boost the Reformation in Switzerland. Zwingli trusted Anna with her sound judgement so much that he let her proofread his writings before giving them to the public.

Constant Danger as a Reformer

Their life was not easy as Zwingli was always in danger of assassination and kidnapping. He had many enemies. Anna was very worried over Zwingli. She wouldn’t allow him to go after dark. The only way he would be allowed to go out was if he was accompanied by a trusted friend. She fretted over where he ate or drank for fear of poisoning. One night on August 28, 1525, their house was stoned. Rocks went flying through the house. Anna and the children were petrified. Zwingli comforted them then drew his sword and called out into the dark, “Anyone who has business with me come in the morning!” Dr. Eck, who was commissioned by the Pope, was to debate Zwingli. Zurich didn’t allow their dearly loved pastor to go since multiple Reformed clergies had been drowned or burned but they also refused to have Dr. Eck in their city. Dr. Eck and all his followers were forced to stay in Baden, which was fifteen miles from Zurich. At Baden the gates were kept strongly shut and weren’t allowing any Reformed supporters in. A young student and his two friends agreed to help Zwingli. They had to make a risky plan. Although no notes were allowed to be taken at the dispute, the student immediately would run home and write all he could remember down. He then gave it to either of his friends who would take turns running the fifteen-mile road to Zurich and give Zwingli the main points of the debate. Then Anna would care for the boy, providing him with food and a place to rest. Zwingli would review the notes then write responses and arguments, which the boy would then leave early the next morning with Zwingli’s writings to head back to Baden. Now you must be wondering how they got back in since they weren’t letting any of reformed supporters in. Well, his friend frequently purchased poultry from a farm nearby; they were let in through the gates holding poultry baskets on their heads. This continued for six weeks, without ever getting caught.

Weeping Mother

Hostility soon broke out. Papists wanted to compel canons to allow preaching of the Bible in their own cantons. Many papists were fined, tortured, and imprisoned. In October of 1531 word spread that the cantons raised an army against Zurich and they were drawing near. Messengers said the army was about eight thousand well trained soldiers. On Capple Hill, right outside Zurich, around one thousand men gathered. In the market square in Zurich about seven hundred mostly old grey-haired men assembled. Zwingli was appointed as Chaplain. Gerald, Anna’s brother Bernhard Reinhard, and both daughters’ husbands were also there. What they didn’t know was that every one of these men, with the exception of one, would all be dead in a few hours. Anna and the children ran out crying to say goodbye to Zwingli. As they hugged each other for the last time Zwingli said, “The hour has come that separates us.”
She responded, “Let the Lord wills be done, and We shall see each other again if the Lord wills his will be done. And what will you bring back when you come?”
“Blessings after the dark night.” Those last words that Zwingli said to her would comfort her for the rest of her life.
As they rode off and as Anna heard the marching of the artillery passing by her house she dropped to her knees. In tears she prayed, “Father not my will but thine be done.”
All of Zurich was devastated when the news came of all the deaths and of the defeat. But Anna’s weeping and sorrow was greater than all others. Out on the battlefield lay her beloved Zwingli, Gerald, brother, cousin, and a son-in-law. Her other son-in-law was wounded very badly, he had fourteen stabs and was barely able to rise from the battlefield and make his way back. Because of Anna’s loss and grief, she is called the Reformation’s “Weeping Mother.”

Widowed Cared for Until the End

Zwingli did not have an admirable funeral. Instead, officers who despised him burned him for heresy. Many residents of Zurich as well as ministers wrote letters of benevolence to Anna and visited her trying to comfort her. All of Zurich was suffering from the loss of all of the men who died in the battle. Zwingli hadn’t left any money since he was so generous to the poor. Henry Bullinger was the one who took Anna and the children in. He and his wife were very kind and caring towards them. Henry and his wife became like a son and daughter to Anna. Henry often said to her, “You shall not want, dear mother. I will remain your friend, your teacher, and your advisor.” He not only was a son to Anna he became like a father to Anna’s children.  He oversaw the children’s schooling and with his own money sent Ulrich to Basle. Anna was committed to a godly raising of her children and she was loving towards her three grandchildren from Gerald. After Zwingli’s death the majority of her time was spent in her room. And she only left the house to go to church services.  In her last years she became very sick. She died on December 6, 1538. Bullinger continued to care for Anna’s children. He said of Anna’s death, “I desire no more happy end of life. She passed away softly, like a mild light, and went home to her Lord, worshiping and commending us all to God.”

Anna’s Legacy

Anna left us a rich legacy of devotion and love toward God. She cherished her copy of the Bible in her native tongue. She was attentive as she listened to the preaching of God’s Word, she was delighted when Zwingli read the Scripture to her. She also loved and was devoted to her husband, and her children. She was very hospitable and cared for the sick and poor. Although she experienced great loss and was called the Reformation’s “Weeping Mother,” she found comfort in God and hope in salvation through Christ.