Notes:

In 1525 one of the first adult baptisms took place in the home of Hans Landis in Zurich.use his children were too young at this time.

Hans married UNKNOWN in ABT. 1515 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

His home was said to be the scene of one of the Zurich's first adult baptisms.s Oberhirzel, near Wadenswil, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. Address: Dorfstrasse 53, 8816 Hirzel, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. Others at the address include: Dieter, Hedy, Peter and Werner Landis.ters on Rev. Hans Landis, the Anabaptist preacher from Hirzel, Switzerland, who was executed in 1614. Documents from this era are understandably difficult to verify, so future researchers must be cautious. Four sources appearing in the footnotes have provided a little more detail:me a citized of Zurich.hurch in 1538.

Johannes married SCHINZ Katherina in 1547 in Hirzel, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. Katherina was born in 1524 in Hirzel, Canton Zurich, Switzerland; died in AFT. 1560 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Rudolph married BRUGGBACHER Anna in 1570 in Horgan, Zurich, Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Hans Landis, "a pious witness of the Divine truth", was a pietist, or mennonite, preacher, who resided on the Swiss Rhine and ministered to those who were seeking after righteousness. The Council of Zurich ordered his arrest hoping thus to stop his teachings. The good man "was taken prisoner by his enemies and sent in irons from Zurich to the Papists at Solothurn." He was liberated on this occasion, but was retaken and sent to Zurich, where he was rigorously examined as to his doctrines and condemned to death: and, in September, 1614, he was beheaded with a sword.

In January 1613 a new mandate was issued against the Anabaptists, which was largely a repetition of that of 1585. On the basis of this mandate attempts were first made to win over the anabaptist peacefully through disputations or conversations. At the first disputation, which took place at Wadenswil on Jan. 26, the Zurich Burgermeister Rahn, aided by J.J. Breitinger, pastor at St. Peter's in Zurich, soon to be the leader of the the Zurich church, represented Qurich, while the elders HANS LANDIS and Rudolph Bachmann and a preacher Galatz represented the Anabaptsts. The meeting was fruitless. There was a second disputation but it was also fruitless. At last extreme measures were taken. Six Anabaptist leaders from Wadenswil and Horgen were arrested, among them HANS LANDIS, who finally was executed the following year as the last Anabaptist martyr in Zurich. The Ausbund (from 1655 on ) contains a hymn of 47 verses abut him.


A letter written by a preacher of Zurich, dated July 19-29, 1659, describes the person and character of Hans Landis and the manner of his execution.

"Havavier Salr, was present at the decapitation of Hans Landis, which circumstance is still fresh in my memory, having witnessed it at the Wolfs-statt, and the whole transaction seems as vivid to me now as though it had transpired but a few weeks ago." In the sequel he describes his person and the manner of his death as follows: "Hans Landis was tall of stature, had a long black beard, a little gray, and a masculine voice. Being led out cheerfully with a rope, to Wolfs-statt the place of decollation, the executioner, Mr. Paul Volmar, let the rope fall, raised both hands to heaven, and said: O! God of mercy, to thee be it complained, that you, Hans have fallen into my hands: for God's sake forgive me for what I must do to you. Hans consoled the executioner, saying: I have already forgiven you, may God forgive you also: I am well aware that you must execute the sentence of the magistracy, be undismayed and see that nothing hinders you in this matter. Whereupon he was beheaded. The people were of the opinion that when the executioner let the
rope go he wanted to give Hans an opportunity to escape; and, moreover, it was a common saying that if he had run off no one would have pursued him.

The following, from credible witnesses may be added, namely; that when the oft-mentioned Hans Landis was awaiting his doom at the place of execution, his wife and child came to him with tears and lamentation, to bid him a last farewell. But when he saw them he entreated them to depart, so that his resolution to meet his impending fate might not be shaken, and his tranquiltiy of mind disturbed by tears and sorrowing. This done, and having commended his soul to God, a stroke of the sword put a speedy termination to his life."

Although Hans Landis was the last person in that vicinity to be beheaded for religious convictions, persecutions did not cease with his death.

About 1660 or thereabouts, the Landis family took refuge in Germany, some settling in Zwieburg and Alsace, others locating in the neighborhood of Strasburg, while still others found a home in Manheim where, like the Palentines, they became cultivators of the soil. the first mention of the family in the Palantinate occurred on 2 March 1661, when a group of 50 persons was surprised at an evening meeting at Steinsfurt near Sinsheim on the Elsenz, they were heavily fined. Among them were Hans Landes of Rohrbach, his son Rudolf Landes of Weiler, and his mother and sister. In the 18th century there were Mennonite members of the Landes family in the Palatinate at Steinsfurt, Zuzenhausen, Schatthausen, Richen, Bockschaft, Kirschgartschausen, Ibersheim, Heppenheim, and Herrnsheim.


After the execution of Hans Landis the Zurich council decided to confiscate Anabaptist property without respite. On 22 October 1614, it ordered the confiscation of the property of exiles. The property left by Hans Landis was indeed promised to his wife and children on 23 February 1615, but only on the condition that they join the state church within two weeks. Otherwise they could expect only exile and loss of property. Since the sorely tried widow could not make such a promise she was "laid in bonds" on 24 May. The Reformed preacher tried to win her to his church in prison. It is not known how long she was held. Her children were at first intimidated, but finally most of them decided to stay with the Swiss Brethren. The government then confiscated the property and put dependent members of the family among strangers. About 1640 the property of Rudolf, Hans and Felix Landis, all sons of the martyr, was sold.

The oldest Landis homestead is located in Hirzel, built aboud 1488, and still in the hands of Landis descendants.

Hans married HOCHSTRASSER Barbara Margaretha in ABT. 1578 in Switzerland. Barbara was born in ABT. 1555; died in ABT. 1642 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In 1637, "Hans Landis the second, a steadfast minister of the church in Horgerberg and his daughter Margaretha" were confined for more than a year at Othenbach, during which time the authorities confiscated their property selling it for 7000 florins. Hans was an ordained minister.

Hans married ERTZINGER Elsbeth. Elsbeth was born in 1593 in Eggersburg, Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Another incident of interest, recited in the Martyr's Mirror, is the presecution and death of Verena Landis in 1643. The name Verana is no doubt a variant of Veronica, or Fronica, the latter being a family name carried by the Landis and intermarried branches in America through many generations.t go with the beadles. As she could not accompany them, she was compelled to make a promise that she would remain a prisoner in her own house, which promise she accordingly fulfilled. However, as they treated her very harshly, and supplied her with very bad provisions, death was, in a very short time, the consequence: thus she departed her life, full of hope and joy; and because she suffered this for the name of the Lord, he will reward her hereafter with a crown of everlasting bliss, and free her from eternal death."

Verena married SUNER Jacob. Jacob was born in 1583 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Imprisoned at Othenbach, he was not given anything to eat for many days, so that even some criminals that were confined near him in another place, took pity on him and managed to get some food to him...But when the doorkeeper perceived this, he was put into another prison. Finally, however, they gave him some food: but he was so impaired in his body that he could not bear food any more. Yet in his greatest distress he was carried to church, during the sermon, where he, O dreadful inhumanity! was thrown under a bench; but he soon after gave up the ghost, which he had commended into the hands of God.onscience, escaped from her bonds. But in the meantime the authorities had broken up their family, put out the children among strangers, and then sold house and furniture.d been married 3 times, first to Margareth Streler, then to Magdalene Hess, then to Adelheid Egli. It is assumed that his first 2 wives predeceased him.

Felix married STRELLER Margareth. Margareth was born in ABT. 1585 in Switzerland; died on 11 Jan 1628/29 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Felix married HESS Magdalene in 1629 in Switzerland. Magdalene was born in ABT. 1600 in Switzerland; died on 1 Aug 1629 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Felix married EGLI Adelheid in ABT. 1625 in Switzerland. Adelheid was born in ABT. 1590 in Fischenthal, Switzerland; died in 1646 in Zurich, Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Jagli married SCHAPPI Barbara. Barbara was born in ABT. 1595 in Switzerland; died on 17 Jan 1631/32 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Jagli married TRINCKLER Elsbeth on 29 May 1632 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Margreth married BAUMANN Rudolph Hans in 1634 in Switzerland. Rudolph was born in 1593 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Margreth married BRUPPACHER Ulrich. Ulrich was born in 1568 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]

Rudolph married BAUMANN Anna. Anna was born in ABT. 1603 in Switzerland; died on 14 Feb 1640/41 in Switzerland. [Group Sheet]