Thursday, May 24, 2018

Thursday, 24 May 2018: Wittenberg, Germany

Today we sailed from Torgau to Wittenberg in the morning. We saw cattle, sheep, and horses along the way, and we could hear cuckoos in the woods. In Wittenberg, we visited the Castle Church, where we heard a brass ensemble playing.

Brass ensemble playing at Castle Church, Wittenberg, when we arrived

Next we visited the Town Church, where in 1517,  Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door, setting off the Protestant Reformation. 

The "95 Theses Door" of Town Church, Wittenberg
We stopped in front of the workshops of Lucas Cranach (the elder and younger). Lucas Cranach was a painter and printmaker, and did many woodcuts and engravings to illustrate the new German-language Bible, which Martin Luther had translated into German.  He translated directly from Hebrew and Ancient Greek, rather than from the Latin Vulgate version.  Gutenberg's Printing Press and Lucas Cranach's illustrations brought the Bible into the homes of the common man.

Lucas Cranach's Workshop in Wittenberg

Lucas Cranach's painting of Martin Luther and his wife, Katharina

The Ten Commandments, by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Finally, we toured the Luther home, an apartment in an old monastery, which had become vacant  when the monasteries closed during the Reformation period.  Martin Luther and his wife and six children lived in a few small rooms in the empty monastery.

Tiled stove in Martin Luther family apartment

Back on board ship that evening, we saw a short play featuring Katherina Luther and her friend, as they discussed customs of their day. They were accompanied by a viola da gamba, harp, and alto recorder.



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