In 1525 Albert, the last Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, introduced Protestantism to Prussia and became a secular duke. Except for Warmia (Ermland), the other three bishoprics also changed their confession. Prussia became the first Protestant country in the world.
The religious Duke Albert established the first Lutheran state church. He composed hymns which are still sung today and was a patron of poetry and fine art. Preacher schools were founded in Königsberg even for the Polish and Lithuanian languages to ensure that everyone could attend church services.
One of Albert’s successors, Elector Johann Sigismund, changed to the Reformed confession (Calvinism) in 1613. The sovereigns tried from then on to strengthen the position of the Reformed Church, sometimes against the will of the majority of their people who were Lutherans. It was not until 1817 that both churches were combined in the "United Church".
Illustration:
Two pages from "Enchiridion. The Small Catechism" by Martin Luther, printed in 1561 in Königsberg.
A fundamental goal of the Lutheran Reformation was to spread basic knowledge about the Christian faith in the language of the people. Luther’s translation of the Bible from Greek and Latin into German was one of his greatest achievements. In the Duchy of Prussia, the Catechism, a doctrinal manual, had to be printed not only in German, but also in Old Prussian, Lithuanian and Masurian. Since the Old Prussian language died out already during the 17th century, the Catechism is today the most comprehensive document of the Old Prussian language.