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Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Tour the Germany of Luther’s Reformation 500 years later
Christianity broke into two after Martin Luther pegged his 95
theses to the door of Wittenberg's Castle Church. St, Mary's church,
where Luther preached, is seen above.
Michael Bader
On Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his now world-famous 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther’s complaints about the Roman Catholic practice of selling
indulgences (the forgiving of sins) launched the Protestant Reformation,
forever altering the cultural, political, religious and artistic
landscape of Europe and the world. As we approach the five-hundredth anniversary of this earth-shaking
event, there’s no better place to explore Luther and the Reformation
than his native Germany.
Martin Luther Getty ImagesStart by hopping a plane to Berlin (from $1,100 roundtrip out of
JFK). This once-divided city, formerly a symbol of the Third Reich and
the Communist bloc, has become the new Germany’s vibrant capital, with
nightlife, museums, and fine restaurants of every stripe. Make your
headquarters in the historic city center — rooms at the NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie start at just $120 a night — and head for the Deutsches Historisches Museum where “The Luther Effect: Protestantism — 500 Years in the World” runs through Nov. 5. The exhibition chronicles the Reformation’s expansion from Germany to
the rest of Europe and, eventually the world. While you are there,
ground yourself in general German history by taking a stroll through the
permanent collection. (Note, however, that the Luther exhibit is being
held at Martin-Gropius-Bau [Niederkirchnerstraße 7] and not at the main
museum complex, which is 1½ miles away.) To really experience Luther, however, you need to see Wittenberg, the
birthplace of the Reformation, 70 miles to the southwest. One such way
to do this is on a full-day tour from Berlin, like the 9-hour excursion
from Original Berlin Walks
($60 per person), which includes roundtrip transportation to Wittenberg
and a full day’s guided sightseeing. However, towns like Wittenberg
reward a slower pace, so those with more time should head south on
Deutschebahn, Germany’s railway ($25 per person), from Berlin’s main
station to Wittenberg’s Altstadt station, which brings you closest to
the sites you’ll want to see. As you plan your travel, keep in mind that
the official name of the city is now Lutherstadt Wittenberg (“Luther’s
City of Wittenberg”), so be sure to use that when searching for train
times. Walk through the Luthergarten (where 500 trees have been planted to
commemorate the anniversary) and start your visit at the Schlosskirche
(“castle church”) where Martin Luther nailed up his 95 theses five
centuries ago. (Or, maybe, he didn’t. Scholars disagree on what
precisely happened on Oct. 31, 1517, but no matter). There’s certainly
no disputing the fact that this medieval building is Luther’s burial
place and is the church most closely connected to him. There are even weekly English-language church services where you can sing Luther’s hymns in the very places he wrote and sang them himself.
St. Mary’s doubles as a church and gallery. St. Mary’sAlso visit the Stadtkirche St. Marien
(“St. Mary’s Church”), which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the
oldest church in the city. Luther preached here many times and the
interiors feature artwork by his good friend Lucas Cranach, the Elder,
another Wittenberg resident. You’ll also want to stop at Luther’s house,
which is preserved with artifacts from Luther’s life along with other
important Cranach paintings. Nearby is the home of Philipp Melanchthon, a
professor at Wittenberg University, who was the most important humanist
proponent of the Reformation. (A two-day, combined $12 ticket for both
houses can be purchased at either site.) There are many places to stay in Wittenberg, but history buffs should choose the Hotel Alte Canzley, a modern hotel housed in a building dating back to 1391 (from $115). While Wittenberg is the town most steeped in Lutheran history, there
are plenty of other places to explore his influence and the story of the
Reformation. From Wittenberg it is just an hour’s train ride to Leipzig
in the modern state of Saxony. One of Europe’s great cities for music
(home at various times, to Wagner, Bach and Mendelssohn), Leipzig also
played an important role in the Reformation — and Luther’s final schism
from the Catholic church — which is detailed in the exhibition “Leipzig
in Dispute” at the town’s history museum (Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig)
located at the old market square. David: This exhibition appears to be
open-ended. Among the artifacts on view are a silver chalice that Luther
owned and his wife Katharina’s wedding ring. Forty minutes northwest of Leipzig is Torgau,
the town known both as the “wet nurse” and the political center of the
Reformation, this is where Luther and his associates worked out the
details of their new church. It was here that the first German-language
baptism of the new faith took place in 1519, and in October 1544, Martin
Luther dedicated the first Protestant-designed church in Hartenfels
Castle. This is also the place where Luther’s wife died; the house where
she passed away is now open as a museum and she is buried in the
Marienkirche.
Dresden’s Church of Our Lady.Katja Fouad VollmerAfter passing back through Leipzig, head another hour south on the
train to Dresden, one of Saxony’s most charming towns. Though devastated
by the Allied bombings in 1945 and the subsequent decades behind the
Iron Curtain, the city has rebounded in recent years. The main church,
the Frauenkirche,
once lay in ruins, but through generous donations from Protestants
around the world, it was completely rebuilt as a monument both to
Dresden’s resilience and to Luther’s ideals. A handsome statue of the
preacher stands in the main town square just in front of the church. Other highlights of Dresden include the Zwinger museum — filled with wonderful paintings by Lucas Cranach and Raphael’s famous Sistine Madonna — and the Dresden State Art Collections,
which include the famous Green Vault filled with incredible objects
acquired by the Saxon Electors of the Holy Roman Empire. There’s some
Luther memorabilia there, too, including his breviary. Behind the
Frauenkirche is the INNSIDE Dresden, a sleek and very comfortable modern hotel (from $68) with outstanding breakfasts.
The faithful rehearse in the birthplace of Protestantism.Dresden is served by an airport that connects to other cities in
Germany and across Europe or you can take the two-hour train ($24 one
way) back to Berlin to head home. If you are jetting off to other parts
of Germany, a couple of other stops connected to the Reformation might
be worth your while. From Frankfurt, you can take the train to Bretten
($24) to visit Melanchthon’s birthplace,
which has become a museum and shrine dedicated to this teacher’s role
in the Reformation. If you find yourself in Mannheim, which is just a
quick train ride south from Frankfurt, be sure to check out the
exhibition on the papacy (“Die Päpste”)
at the fantastic Reiss-Engelhorn Museum through Nov. 26. The show not
only traces the history of Catholicism, but gives visitors the
opportunity to explore the religious history of Europe that led to
Martin Luther and the Reformation.
Betty MacDonald Fan Club, founded by Wolfgang Hampel, has members in 40 countries.
Wolfgang Hampel, author of Betty MacDonald biography interviewed Betty MacDonald's family and friends. His Interviews have been published on CD and DVD by Betty MacDonald Fan Club. If you are interested in the Betty MacDonald Biography or the Betty MacDonald Interviews send us a mail, please.
Several original Interviews with Betty MacDonald are available.
We are also organizing international Betty MacDonald Fan Club Events for example, Betty MacDonald Fan Club Eurovision Song Contest Meetings in Oslo and Düsseldorf, Royal Wedding Betty MacDonald Fan Club Event in Stockholm and Betty MacDonald Fan Club Fifa Worldcup Conferences in South Africa and Germany.
Betty MacDonald Fan Club Honour Members are Monica Sone, author of Nisei Daughter and described as Kimi in Betty MacDonald's The Plague and I, Betty MacDonald's nephew, artist and writer Darsie Beck, Betty MacDonald fans and beloved authors and artists Gwen Grant, Letizia Mancino, Perry Woodfin, Traci Tyne Hilton, Tatjana Geßler, music producer Bernd Kunze, musician Thomas Bödigheimer, translater Mary Holmes and Mr. Tigerli.
