In this session, Sandra Bloodworth will outline the history of a massive peasant revolt across sixteenth-century Germany. Whole layers of the population stepped onto the stage of history and fought for social change. After 1522, local revolts were regular, escalating in numbers and area. In January 1525 everywhere from the Danube to the Rhine and the Lech was in ferment. Sandra will look at the role of Thomas Muntzer, the preacher and theologian of the early Reformation, who was beheaded in the repression of the movement in May 1525. His organisation of revolutionaries formed the backbone of widespread struggles, even though in a minority. Muntzer's followers took over towns, flew the red flag and mobilised hundreds of thousands behind their manifesto. They called for the destruction of the castles and monasteries and the abolition of class rule. Sandra will show that this history, 500 years later, provides more lessons for future struggles to destroy capitalism than might be expected.