The Council of Zurich agreed with majority vote to bind Hans Landis’ hands, lead him to the executioner’s place and have him executed by sword. The next assembly the Council realizing they had committed a great wrong by beheading a man of God, decided they would never again execute an Anabaptist. -Martyrs Mirror, Unser Leit
Many Anabaptists immigrated from the Bern, Zürich, and Basel regions to Alsace (France) and Palatinate (Germany), in part due to massive Dutch Mennonite support. -SwissMennonite.org
The Bernese government issues a secret directive for the recruitment of informers and “Anabaptist-hunters” Täuferjäger), including a bounty for each captured Anabaptist. -SwissMennonite.org
There arose again a severe persecution against the Anabaptists, in said dominion of Berne; which persecution was so rigorous and long-continued, that it seemed that the authorities would not desist, until they should have utterly driven that people out of their dominion, or exterminate them.” Many of the refugees followed the Rhine River downstream to the north to Mannheim (on the east bank) or Ludwigshafen (on the west bank). By January of 1672 it was estimated that 215 persons had arrived on the west side, and 428 on the east. They were met by Dutch Mennonites, who provided aid and published a report of their efforts in April 1672. – Martyrs Mirror
“It was resolved in the full council at Berne on October 11 A.D. 1671, that such male persons that were young and strong should be sent to the galleys, as six who were sent some time before. When Lord Beatus of Berne, Switzerland observed the resolution of the Council at Berne, he was excited to compassion and went to the authorities and requested them to delay the transportation of the prisoners until he would go to the members of their society in Alsace France, and ascertain whether they would bail the prisoners, for the performance of the condition, namely that they would leave the country and not return without special permission. Their friends in Alsace immediately accepted the condition and made the engagement with Lord Beatus in writing, whereupon he promised on his part to exert the utmost of his influence with the authorities in Bern, in the expectation that he could prevail on them to deliver the prisoners to Basel to their friends, and that they would obtain a residence for them in other countries. –Gameo.org
Berne began the custom of compelling the Anabaptist congregations in that part of Switzerland, to send hostages to compel the congregations to obey the stringent rules laid down for these brethren. Each congregation was compelled to send two or three prominent men to Berne whom Berne could torture, send to the Venetian galleys or
kill, if the congregation disobeyed. Three of these hostages were Andrew Mowrer of Thun and Christian Oesch and Peter Forney (Fahrni). – An authentic history from original sources / by H. Frank Eshleman (Miiller 144, p. 339).