Martin Luther was a German Christian priest, monk, and notorious anti-Semite who lived from the late 15th century until the early 16th century. He wrote many anti-Jewish manuscripts and books and recruited against them throughout his life. However, he was a monumental Christian leader, who contributed greatly to their religion, in ways such as translating the Bible into German and leading the Protestant Reformation. However, to Jews he will always be remembered as perhaps the worst anti-Semite of all time. (History.com Staff. Martin Luther and the 95 Theses) Martin Luther was born to Hans Luder and his wife Margarethe on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Saxony, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire. Since he was his father's firstborn, his father wanted him to pursue a career as a lawyer, which was a good job even at that time. However, because his school focused primarily on persuasive speaking and writing, grammar, and logic, Luther came to despise it. The only aspect he appreciated was that it stimulated him to have an early interest in monastic life. He later attended the University of Erfurt, where he learned arithmetic, astronomy, geometry and philosophy. (wikipedia.org) He graduated and received a master's degree in 1505. (History.com staff. Martin Luther and the 95 Theses) Although his father still pushed hard for Luther to become a lawyer, something bizarre happened that changed that. Martin Luther was caught in a heavy thunderstorm and lightning almost struck him. He swore that if he made it out of the storm alive, he would become a monk. He kept his word and on 17 July 1505 he abandoned his law studies to enter the Augustinian monastery. After seven years in the monastery... middle of paper... ion. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web.11 May. 2014.Marty, Martin. Martin Luther: a life. Penguin Publishers, 2008.(jewishencyclopedia.com. Luther, Martin.)(wikipedia.com)(Ellis, Marc H. “Hitler and the Holocaust, Christian Anti-Semitism,” Baylor University Center for American and Jewish Studies, Spring 2004, slide 14). ("Martin Luther." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition.)(Luther, Martin. On the Jews and Their Lies)(Marty, Martin. Martin Luther: A Life)(But They Were Good for the Jews? New York: Birch Lane Press, 1997)("That Jesus Christ was born a Jew")(jewishencyclopedia.com. Luther, Martin.)((History.com Staff. Martin Luther and the 95 Theses)("Martin Luther. " Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition.)