Why did the protestnat reformation start in germany?

Why did the protestnat reformation start in germany?



A number of factors:

1) There actually were reform movements over the prior two centuries, esp. the one beginning with John Wycliffe (sometimes labeled "the Morning Star of the Reformation") in England in the late 13th century, and inspired by his followers, that under John Hus in Bohemia

2) Those earlier movements were successfully repressed by a somewhat more powerful Church (Hus being burned as a heretic).

The same might have happened with Luther, but he had the protection of various German princes whom the Pope and Catholic Church could not completely control.

In other words, the specific political situation in Germany, with all its little principalities made it easier for Luther and other reformers to get state help/sponsorship for their work and to protect them the efforts of Catholic officials to stop them

3) The invention of the printing press in the late 14th century made the SPREAD of these ideas quicker and easier than they had been

4) There actually were SEVERAL Reform movements getting set to blossom when Luther began his work, partly independent of him though some also inspired by him. Thus the movement quickly SPREAD (and there were other "branches" besides the Lutherans) which helped it survive.