They wanted paradise and brought hell. Time seems to be out of joint in the 16th century: plagues rage, Luther preaches against the Pope, and in Münster, the Anabaptists seek to establish the Kingdom of God. Their prophetic king is Jan Beukels from Leiden. But soon, the city of the pious, of equality and freedom, will become a hell for the living, with Jan as their cruel despot. This dark episode in history has found its congenial, linguistically powerful author in Robert Schneider. Schneider remains a master of style, vibrant and rich in historical details.