Although located in former East Germany, Wittenberg seemed to have more life and "lift" than the smaller towns we'd driven through to get there. There with more shops, a little more beauty, and more people on the streets.
The home given to Martin Luther was once a Augustinian hermitage. Now it is a museum showcasing the Reformation, Luther's writings, and the history of those turbulent years.
A piece of Luther's pulpit.
Down the road is the city church where Luther preached.
It's towers are seen here protruding from behind buildings in the city square.
At the other end of town stands the castle church (Schlosskirche) to whose doors, it is said, he nailed his 95 Theses. The original wooden doors we lost years ago in a fire that also destroyed the church; now, the 95 Theses are inscribed on the rebuilt church's bronze doors. (Note, my advice is to click the link and read the 95 These for yourself. I had read about them for years, but I found it much more edifying when I actually just read them.)
(From Case) Learning about Luther and the Reformation is not a task for the weak of spirit or faith. As a trip through the museum makes clear, the classic tales frequently related to eager Protestant children are rose-tinted, to say the least. I came away with a deep respect for the vigor and courage of the man, and a deep awe of a God who can work with such flawed material.
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