The Thirty Years War in Northern Europe in the 16th Century is usually depicted as a conflict between Catholics and Protestants ... there was, however, a third group involved ... Atheists. Atheist republics were set up in a number of places ... the clergy were driven out by the populace. When the religions regained control the atheists were often driven out and left to die in the countryside ... the towns were then repopulated. Martin Luther said: "These people should be killed wherever they can be found" ...he was talking about irreligious peasants. Luther was also alarmingly anti-Semitic.