Hans LOETSCHER

Because of his anabaptist faith, Hans, with his brother Melchior, was sent as an oarsman to the Venetian galleys. On March 16, 1671 they were taken in chains to Thun where they were sent by boat to Brienz. The rest of the trip went overland to Bergamo where they were turned over to the Venetian officials. Normally, nobody did survice, but they did. At the end of 1873 they are back in Bern askingfor their inheritance . They did not get it. In 1673 they were back in Bern. While imprisoned for a considerable time in the "Waisenhaus" (Orphanage) in Bern, before being taken away as a galley slave, Hans had access to the "Turmbücher" (prison records) and compiled a list of all those who were executed for their faith in Bern, 40 people in all. (Delbert L. Gratz: Bernese Anabaptists, The Mennonite Historical Society, Goshen, IN, 1953). ----Forced to leave Switzerland because of religious beliefs, in 1714. Went first to Upper Alsace to a town called Maasmunster. He was brought with his brother before the Täuferkommission in Bern because of their Anabaptist beliefs. They remained true to their faith and were imprisoned. The brothers Hans and Melchior escaped in 1667 but were soon returned to prison. After four years in prisonat Bern they were sentenced to galley service with four other Anabaptists in 1671-73. They returned to claim their inheritance from their father, who had died while they were away, but were refused it. In 1667, while imprisoned at Bern, Hans Lötscher wrote a letter which is preserved in the Martyrs' Mirror (E 1129

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