Peace of Westphalia

Lore & Background

The negotiation process was lengthy and complex. Talks took place in two cities because each side wanted to meet on territory under its own control. Two treaties were signed to end the war in the Empire: the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, with the Habsburgs (rulers of Austria) and their Catholic allies on one side, battling the Protestant powers (Sweden and certain Holy Roman principalities) allied with France (though Catholic, strongly anti-Habsburg under the regency of Anne of Austria for the young King Louis XIV, with Cardinal Mazarin as chief minister). These negotiations were initially delayed by Sweden's insistence on including all its allies. The main peace negotiations took place in Westphalia, in the neighbouring cities of Münster and Osnabrück. Both cities were maintained as neutral and demilitarized zones for the negotiations.

Reader's Guide

Several scholars of international relations have identified the Peace of Westphalia as the origin of principles crucial to modern international relations, collectively known as Westphalian sovereignty. However, some historians have argued against this, suggesting that such views emerged during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in relation to concerns about sovereignty during that time. Regardless of whether the Peace of Westphalia was a critical juncture or not, narratives about the Peace of Westphalia have profoundly shaped international legal and political thought in subsequent centuries. Much of the Peace of Westphalia focused on reorganizing the Holy Roman Empire. A common idea is that Emperor Ferdinand III was stripped of power, and said power was given to the rulers of the Imperial estates. The extent to which Ferdinand's power was diminished is now challenged by modern research, with some saying that Ferdinand's loss of influence was overstated by older literature. Westphalia guaranteed the right to practice any of the recognized denominations: Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism. The last was finally given legal recognition as an official religion. The independence of the Dutch Republic, which practiced religious tolerance, also provided a safe haven for European Jews. Contrary to common belief, the Peace of Westphalia did not necessarily reconfirm the status of the Peace of Augsburg; rather, it provided a reinterpretation.

Did You Know?

• The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two treaties: the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück.
• The treaty guaranteed the right to practice Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism, with Calvinism finally given legal recognition as an official religion.

From Parity to Persecution: Augsburg's Religious Struggle

Yet the Thirty Years' War shattered that balance.

The Peace Paintings: A Visual Theology for Children

What began as simple printed prayers adorned with small engravings quickly evolved into large folio-format sheets featuring a detailed engraving in the upper half and a rhymed explanatory text beneath, often carrying a polemical edge. The imagery drew primarily from the Bible but also incorporated scenes from Protestant church history.

A Living Festival in the Modern Era

The Peace Festival has evolved far beyond its Protestant origins. In the 1970s, the old peace-picture tradition was revived through an ecumenical jury that selects a child's drawing as the year's official image. When American soldiers were still garrisoned in Augsburg, the festival evening featured a joint concert by German and American military bands, culminating in a grand fireworks display at the Rosenaustadion.

Institutional Legacy and Intangible Heritage

The festival's significance extends well beyond a single day of celebration. Because the holiday is restricted to the Augsburg city area, the city holds the distinction of having the most public holidays in all of Germany. Every two to three years, a historical citizens' festival runs from late July or early August through the Peace Festival day. Recurring highlights include the "Table of Peace" set up in Town Hall Square or Elias-Holl Square, an ecumenical opening service, peace messages from Augsburg's religious communities, and a dedicated Children's Peace Festival held at the zoo and the adjacent Botanical Garden.