The Pietist Schoolman

Of all the ways the 500th anniversary of a German monk posting ninety-five Latin theses on a church door is being celebrated, this is clearly the best.

Reports Deutsche Welle:

Nearly 500 years after his death, the German monk who symbolizes the Protestant Reformation movement, has his own Playmobil figurine.

Playmobil, maker of plastic toy sets that are a staple in German nurseries, said on Wednesday that the “plastic” Luther, clutching a German-language Bible and a quill, is its fastest-selling item ever, selling out within 72 hours. “That’s absolutely the fastest we’ve ever experienced,” spokeswoman Anna Ermann said.

(“What’s next,” asked my wife this morning, “A Katy Luther toy with a fish barrel?” Please suggest other ideas in the comments section, in case Playmobil product developers are reading this blog.)

The Luther toy was produced for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and Nuremberg’s tourist board, which described it as “a miniature ambassador of the Reformation.”

Alas, while the Playmobil factory in Malta will produce a second edition after the first 34,000 sold out, the new Luthers might not arrive until April. And Playmobil has decided against offering a full Luther kit (complete with Wartburg Castle), “much to the chagrin of Luther’s most dedicated fans.”

Including my son Isaiah: when I showed him and his sister the toy this morning, he emphasized that “You need to get the whole thing to play the whole story.” And it’s not available from the Playmobil USA set, so he and Lena will need to content themselves with their heavily used Playmobil panda zoo, vet’s clinic, and customs boat.