Women of the Reformation: Anna Reinhard Zwingli by Norma Tochijara

Affectionately referred by her husband as “his dearest housewife” Anna was the beloved wife of Ulrich Zwingli. Shedding much light into the charitable heart of this gentle soul, Anna was also warmly regarded by the people as, “the apostolic Dorcas.”

Born sometime during the year 1487 she matured into a very beautiful woman.  She married John Meyer von Knonau, who came from an aristocratic family, though she did not. When his father found out about their marriage, he disinherited him, leaving John and his family to cast on his own resources. In 1511, John was elected to join the Swiss army where he traveled to Italy to fight against France. After many campaigns, he returned  gravely ill and soon thereafter died, leaving Anna with 3 children: 1 son and 2 daughters.

Suddenly thrust into widowhood, Anna was forced to look after her family on her own. She struggled often to support her family and train her children. But God had not forgotten Anna.  Every time a certain preacher, named Ulrich Zwingli came to preach in her town, she would attend.  She listened attentively to his words as they thundered from the pulpit and it wasn’t long before he became her pastor. A true lover of the Word of God, Anna was always eager to hear the Scriptures as taught by him. At the same time, Anna’s young son Gerold, caught the preachers attention.  Zwingli took an interest in becoming a role model to him and particularly encouraged him to pursue higher education. He gave him private lessons in Latin and Greek and in many ways became like a father to him. When Gerold took leave for another city, Zwingli actually wrote him a book to encourage him in his walk with the Lord. And walk with the Lord, he did. Gerold quickly obtained much favor in his new city and secured a very influential position.

It wasn’t long afterwards that Zwingli and Anna were married.  Right away the young marriage encountered hostility.  Many people accused Zwingli of marrying her because of her beauty — and  now wealth due to her son’s success. But soon after they married, Anna stopped wearing jewelry and her appearance became more simple and modest.  Together the Zwingli’s had 4 children.

Anna had a most charitable heart.  She loved to help others and saw it as something of great priority in her life. She became a helper of the poor and visited the sick as often as she could. Every opportunity, and any little extra that the family had, was given to the poor, or in some way used to benefit the work of the Lord.   Those who knew her well described her as a pious woman. Anna was a wife who could easily be described as being preoccupied with her husbands well-being. She was known to encourage her husband and remind him to take rests when he was working feverishly translating the Bible to her own Swiss tongue.

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