PATRIMOINE
EUROPÉEN
EUROPÄISCHES ERBE
PATRIMONIO EUROPEO
EUROPEAN HERITAGE
EUROPEAN HERITAGE
LABEL
‘Sites of the
Reformation’
FEDERAL REPUBLIC
OF GERMANY
Application form for listing under the ‘European Heritage Label’ scheme
Country
Region/province
Germany
Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria,
Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North
Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate,
Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia
Name of the cultural property1, monument, ‘Sites of the Reformation’ network
natural or urban site2, or site that has
played a key role in European history.
Owner of the cultural property, monument, cf. details in the brief descriptions
natural or urban site, or site that has
played a key role in European history
Public or private authorities responsible for Public authorities
the
site
or
property
(delegated
management)
Postal address
Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten,
Collegienstrasse 54,
D-06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Geographic coordinates of the cultural
cf. enclosed map
property, monument, natural or urban site,
or site that has played a key role in
European history
Reasons for listing
The history and impact of the Reformation
in Europe has a very high profile in some
regions of the EU today, whilst in others it
is largely pushed aside and forgotten.
Consequently, the monuments in question
include not only buildings and institutions
of considerable importance from a
historical and artistic perspective, but also
others whose relevance is appreciated only
at a local level or by those from a particular
religious tradition. The European Heritage
Label initiative represents an opportunity to
create a network of monuments which
inherently belong together, even if they
may be very different in type and quality. It
is this which differentiates the initiative
from the UNESCO World Heritage List,
which is largely biased towards artistic and
historic conservation criteria alone. The
initiative is also the next public step in an
approach which, as European ‘Lieux de
Mémoire’, has already been widely
discussed in an academic context, both
from the perspective of the formation of a
1 The term ‘cultural property’ refers to an object that is emblematic of European history
2 A ‘site’ can be a place, building or structure, or a landscape, etc., including any non-physical
heritage associated with the site
1
European consciousness in the past, and
in the hope of developing a clearer
European identity in the future. This would
appear to be an opportune time to create a
network of German loci memoriae of the
Reformation as a locus memoriae we can
all share.
History of the cultural property, monument,
natural or urban site, or site that has
played a key role in European history
cf. details in the brief descriptions
System of protection of the cultural
property, monument, natural or urban site,
or site that has played a key role in
European history, if appropriate
Cultural properties are under the protection
of Historic Monuments Protection Acts
State of preservation of the site/object
Good state of preservation; administered
by the states and municipalities
cf. details in the brief descriptions
Policy to promote and enhance the
appreciation of the site/property (detail
actions already performed and required)
Cultural exchanges and networking
Heritage and creative activities
Sources and level of finance
Activities taken/planned to heighten the
profile and representativeness of the site
Many European countries were affected by
the Reformation in a similar way to
Germany. Other European states could
and should join the network.
Educational opportunities, attractions for
tourists and academic research are already
in place; cf. the details in the brief
descriptions.
The sites are partly funded by the German
government, the states and municipalities,
and by their individual funding bodies.
The ‘Sites of the Reformation’ network is
still in its early stages, so no information
can be made available at the present time.
2
Ministry of Education and Cultural
Affairs of Saxony-Anhalt
Magdeburg, 02.07.2010
European Heritage Label
Sites of the Reformation in Germany
The history and impact of the Reformation in Europe has a very high profile in some
regions of the EU today, whilst in others it is largely pushed aside and forgotten.
Consequently, the monuments in question include not only buildings and institutions of
considerable importance from a historical and artistic perspective, but also others whose
relevance is appreciated only at a local level or by those from a particular religious
tradition. The European Heritage Label initiative represents an opportunity to create a
network of monuments which inherently belong together, even if they may be very
different in type and quality. It is this which differentiates the initiative from the UNESCO
World Heritage List, which is largely biased towards artistic and historic conservation
criteria alone. The initiative is also the next public step in an approach which, as
European ‘Lieux de Mémoire’, has already been widely discussed in an academic
context, both from the perspective of the formation of a European consciousness in the
past, and with the aspiration of developing a clearer European identity in the future. This
would appear to be an opportune time to create a network of German loci memoriae of
the Reformation as a locus memoriae we can all share.
Sixteenth century Europe experienced a thrust of modernisation as a result of the
structural change which we commonly refer to as the Reformation. From the mediaeval
unity of the Corpus Christianum, headed by the Emperor and the Pope, emerged nationstates which were split between three main denominations. The German Reich proved,
however, to be an exception; its federal structures compelled, but also facilitated bidenominationalism. Lutheranism was firmly established here, as it was in Scandinavia
and eastern/central Europe. Irrespective of location, its growth was contingent upon
political circumstances. The establishment of a primary school system based on the
ideology of the Wittenberg Reformation was largely responsible not only for allowing
education to flourish, but also for embedding the belief system in the population within a
single generation. The second, Calvinist reform movement took a different course; it was
adopted primarily in western European countries with well-developed economies, along
a line from Switzerland and the Netherlands to Scotland. Following the Council of Trent,
the traditional church evolved into the present-day Roman Catholic Church, with its
strongest base in the countries of the Habsburg Empire and in southwest Europe.
The upheaval generated by the Reformation in its various manifestations in the first half
of the 16th century made such an impression on the population of the day that it was
keen to preserve its memory and ensure its survival. The process of reification began
after the death of Martin Luther, but only really took hold in earnest in the 19 th century.
Wittenberg led the way by erecting a memorial to Luther in 1821 from plans dating back
to 1806. This memorial was followed by others, both in Germany and throughout
Europe. At the heart of any commemoration of the Reformation lies the conservation and
renovation of sites associated with the lives of the Reformers.
One early example is the baroque renovation of the house in Eisleben where Luther was
born; there is evidence of its use as a school, church welfare agency and memorial
dating back to 1693. The earliest memorial from the 19th century is Luther’s Room at
Wartburg Castle. It was soon followed by an attempt to commemorate the Reformer at
3
the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt, the opening of the ‘Lutherhalle’ museum in Luther’s
former Wittenberg home in 1883 and the house where he died in Eisleben, and the
memorialisation of Melanchthon’s house in Wittenberg in 1897. There was also Luther’s
House in Eisenach and the opening of a new memorial in 1903 on the original site of the
house where Melanchthon was born in Bretten. Yet nothing could compare in this
respect with the Castle Church in Wittenberg, which opened as a monument in 1892, at
a time when the Reformation was viewed as a German-Prussian phenomenon. One of
the last memorials to be built was that commemorating Katharina von Bora in Torgau,
which dates from 1999.
Taken together, the Reformation sites selected for the application for listing under the
European Heritage Label scheme are of a European dimension, although the details still
require some fine-tuning. They are genuine sites where events or radical changes
unfolded which were milestones in the history of the Reformation. All of the sites are also
of cultural and/or academic significance. Facilities for the public have been made
available to an appropriate degree, and will continue to improve.
The contact address for the ‘Sites of the Reformation’ network is Stiftung
Luthergedenkstätten, Collegienstrasse 54, D-06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany.
4
European Heritage Label
Sites of the Reformation in Germany
Brief overview of the network
1) Baden-Württemberg
•
Bretten; Melanchthon’s House
Memorial on the site of the home of the Reformer Philipp Melanchthon. The
building was erected 106 years ago, and houses a museum and a research
centre; it is also noted for its touring exhibitions.
•
Schwäbisch Hall; St. Michael’s Church
It was in this church that the Reformer Johannes Brenz was a preacher; his
work had a considerable impact throughout southwest Germany.
2) Bavaria
• Augsburg with its Old Town, town hall, Fugger Houses and municipal library
was where the Peace of Augsburg was signed in 1555.
3) Brandenburg
• Mühlberg: site of the Battle of Mühlberg of 1547, which brought an end to the
Schmalkaldic War. The museum in the provost’s residence at Güldenstein
would like to address the battle more extensively in its displays.
• Town of Jüterbog
The selling of indulgences was especially big business in the town, which is
why it is believed to have been the catalyst behind the nailing of the theses to
the door in Wittenberg.
4) Hesse
• Marburg, Marburg Castle, the scene of the Marburg Religious Colloquy
between the Reformers Luther and Zwingli at the instigation of Philip,
Landgrave of Hesse. The original historic monument and the castle chapel
have survived to the present day.
5) Lower Saxony
• Emden; Great Church with the John a Lasco library. John a Lasco was
superintendent in East Frisia from 1542 to 1549. The library’s priceless historic
collection of books is of national importance and contains many prints from the
Reformation period, as well as volumes owned by Erasmus of Rotterdam. The
Great Church in Emden was described as the mother church for the
dissemination of Calvinism in northwest Europe. It is also an important
research centre.
6) North Rhine-Westphalia
• Münster; St. Lambert’s Church is a memorial to the Anabaptist movement.
5
7) Rhineland-Palatinate
• Worms
The Reformation monument commemorates the Diet of Worms in 1521. The
municipal museum in St. Andrew’s monastery complex recalls Luther’s
appearance before the Imperial Diet.
• Bad Kreuznach: Ebernburg Castle
It was here that Franz von Sickingen became a patron to various Reformers
including Ulrich von Hutten, who lived at the castle from September 1520.
8) Saxony
• Torgau: castle chapel and Hartenfels Castle with the room where Katharina
von Bora breathed her last. The ‘Katharina Luther Room’ is a museum.
• Zwickau: St Catherine’s Church, where Thomas Müntzer preached, and an
altar from the Cranach workshop.
9) Saxony-Anhalt
• Eisleben (Old Town)
• Wittenberg (Old Town)
• Mansfeld
10) Thuringia
• Eisenach
The Wartburg, where Martin Luther worked; origin of the Luther Bible; St.
George’s Church and Luther’s House in Eisenach
• Altenburg
St. Bartholomew’s Church; the church where Spalatin, one of the most
important protagonists of the Reformation in Thuringia, was canon; Luther also
preached here.
• Erfurt
Augustinian monastery; there is a permanent Martin Luther exhibition here.
Entering the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt proved to be a decisive turningpoint in Luther’s life.
Collegium Maius in Erfurt; it was at the Collegium Maius that Luther completed
his basic studies from 1501 to 1505.
• Bad Frankenhausen
Site of the final battle in the Peasants’ War.
6
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Baden-Württemberg
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Contact details
Direktor PD Dr. Günter Frank
Melanchthonhaus Bretten
Melanchthonstr. 1-3
(Melanchthon’s House, Bretten)
D-75015 Bretten
Melanchthonstrasse 1
Tel.: 0049-7252-94410
D-75015 Bretten
Fax: 0049-7252-944116
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.melanchthon.com
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
A late neo-Gothic museum built in the Wilhelminian style in honour of the Reformer,
humanist and polymath Philipp Melanchthon, who was born in Bretten. Across five
rooms, the museum presents five chapters from the history of the Reformation and
humanism connected with the name of Melanchthon.
Memorial hall: frescoes with scenes from Melanchthon’s life, figures from the
Reformation and the political forces behind it. Room of towns/coats of arms: the
European humanist network. Theologians’ room: Melanchthon and the circle of
theologians in Wittenberg. Princes’ room: Melanchthon and the political forces behind
the Wittenberg Reformation. Humanists’ room: Melanchthon and late mediaeval / early
modern humanism.
As a museum, Melanchthon’s House is also home to an extensive collection of
‘Melanchthoniana’ and related literature: ca. 6,000 historic prints, ca. 6,000 volumes of
secondary literature, ca. 450 autographs, ca. 1,000 oil paintings, copperplate engravings
and graphics (portraits of Reformers and scenes from the Reformation), and ca. 40 coins
and medals with motifs depicting the history of the Reformation.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
General museum activities with a new permanent multimedia exhibition; temporary
exhibitions on various themes related to the Reformation and religious history.
International touring exhibitions: ‘Philipp Melanchthon. Letters for Europe’ (1997-1999),
‘Philipp Melanchthon – breaking down barriers. The importance of Philipp Melanchthon
for Europe. From Wittenberg to Siebenbürgen’ (from 2007)
Scholarship and research (European Melanchthon Academy)
Centre of international Melanchthon research (conferences, symposia, forums)
Research series: Melanchthon’s writings in Bretton; Fragmenta Melanchthoniana; partial
editions of Melanchthon’s works; individual studies (monographs and articles for
journals)
Audiovisual media (selected titles): ‘Religion und Kultur. Philipp Melanchthon in
Geschichte und Gegenwart’, CD Rom, 2003; ‘Zum Gespräch geboren – MelanchthonDVD’, 2009
7
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Baden-Württemberg
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
St. Michael’s Evangelical Parish Church
Schwäbisch Hall
Contact details
On site:
Evang.Dekanatamt,
Pfarrer Christoph Baisch
(Rev. Christoph Baisch,
Evangelical Deanery)
Mauerstrasse 5, D-74523 Schwäbisch Hall
For the Württ. State Church:
Kirchenrat Reinhard Lambert Auer,
Kunstbeauftragter der Evang.
Landeskirche
(Church Councillor Reinhard Lambert Auer,
Arts Commissioner of the Württemberg
Evangelical State Church)
Evang. Oberkirchenrat, Gänsheidestr. 2-4,
D-70184 Stuttgart
Tel.: 0049-711-2129239
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
With its late Gothic longhouse hall and ambulatory, St. Michael’s Church is one of the
large, historically and artistically important parish churches to be found in the former free
cities of the region.
This was where Johannes Brenz, a follower and pupil of Martin Luther and one of the
most important Reformers in southwest Germany, first embarked on his career.
He was appointed a preacher at St. Michael’s Church in 1522 at the age of 24 by the
council of the free city of Hall, and remained there for 26 years until being forced to flee
the town by the ‘Interim’ in 1548. He came to public attention as early as 1523 with his
own writings on the Reformation, inspired by Luther’s new theology. Johannes Brenz is
reputed to have administered the Eucharist ‘in both kinds’ for the first time (cf. below) in
late 1525 / early 1526. He was influential in the framing of new regulations for the
Church in Hall from 1526/27.
Later – from 1553 until his death in 1570 – Brenz was a leading theologian and advisor
to Duke Christoph in the matter of consolidating the Reformation in the Duchy of
Württemberg (this included the ‘Great Church Order’ of 1559).
His moderate ‘Lutheran’ attitude on the subject of the iconographic controversy meant
that the important late mediaeval furnishings of the church were able to survive almost
intact.
The church owns a large, valuable collection of ‘sacred vessels’, including its most
significant piece in terms of church history, a pre-Reformation communion cup – the socalled ‘Brenz chalice’ made by a Würzburg goldsmith and donated in 1516, which was
used by Brenz in 1525 at the Three Kings’ Altar during the town’s first Evangelical
communion. The altarpiece (ca. 1520) can also still be seen in the church. The predella
was altered at a later date and provided with a new inscription, a verse from the Epistle
to the Romans (4:5), which makes a significant reference to the central message of
Reformationist theology.
8
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
There are regular tours and exhibitions in the church.
Further research is required regarding what more can be done to raise the profile of the
Reformation and Johannes Brenz; some measures have already been taken, and more
will follow, partly in cooperation with the congregation and local cultural agencies.
Publications (list not complete):
‘St. Michael in Schwäbisch Hall.’ Published by Historischer Verein für Württembergisch
Franken; Ev. Gesamtkirchenbezirk Schwäbisch Hall; Hällisch Fränkisches Museum
Schwäbisch Hall. Künzelsau, 2006
9
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Bavaria
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
City of Augsburg
Contact details
Stadt Augsburg
Herr Oberbürgermeister
Dr. Kurt Gribl
(The Lord Mayor, Dr. Kurt Gribl,
City of Augsburg)
Rathausplatz 1,
D-86150 Augsburg
Tel.: 0049-821-3242103
Fax: 0049-821-3246848
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The history of the city of Augsburg has unique links with crucial stages in the history of
the Reformation, impressive traces of which can be seen even today. A bidenominational imperial city administered on equal terms for all, it is also regarded by
many as one of the most prominent examples of how religious conflict could be resolved
in Europe.
The city has served as the backdrop to major events in the history of the Reformation; it
was the venue for the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, when the Augsburg Confession was
presented, the Edict of Restitution in 1548 and the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, as well
as the Augsburg Peace Festival in 1648. The urban landscape has been characterised
by bi-denominational double churches as well as a variety of buildings of particular
relevance to those seeking to gain a vivid impression of those events, such as the
famous town hall designed by Elias Holl, which replaced the old Gothic town hall which
had been the venue for the Imperial Diets, or the Evangelical Lutheran parish church of
St. Anne, with the former St. Anne’s College (an Evangelical grammar school), the
Lutherstiege (‘Luther Staircase’) museum and the Catholic Fugger Chapel. The chancel
of the former Barefoot Church of 1407-1411 (Protestant since 1535), the Fugger houses
on the Weinmarkt, where Martin Luther debated with Cardinal Thomas Cajetan in 1518,
and the cathedral, the first church to be restored after the Schmalkaldic War ended in
1547, also bear witness to the prominent arbiters of extreme historical positions and their
resolution in a peace festival which is still celebrated today as a local public holiday
embodied in the Bavarian constitution. Also of considerable importance is the role played
by the municipal archive and the state and municipal library in Augsburg; the latter was
established by Reformers in 1537, and is a leading exponent of the preservation and
indexing of historical artefacts relating to the Reformation, housing as it does numerous
primary sources such as the so-called ‘September Testament’ (the first translation of the
New Testament, with woodcuts by Lucas Cranach) and the so-called Peace of Augsburg
paintings.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The city is aware of its considerable indebtedness to this special legacy, and
acknowledges its responsibility to history by, for instance, awarding the Augsburg Peace
Prize, and organising regular exhibitions and educational events. The Augsburg Peace
Festival, which was first held in 1650 following the Peace of Westphalia to commemorate
10
the Evangelical preachers who were dismissed in 1629, is celebrated on 8 August each
year; since 1985, the Augsburg Peace Prize, which is worth € 12,500, has been awarded
every three years to individuals who have rendered outstanding service to promoting the
tolerant and peaceable coexistence of cultures and religions. In addition, regular
exhibition projects exploit the city’s rich legacy of historical artefacts, as in 1980 (A world
in turmoil), 1986 (Reformation and the imperial city), 1987 (450 years of the state and
municipal library), 1997 (…“Against vice and sin”. Augsburg’s path to the Reformation),
and 2005 (When peace was possible. 450 years after the Peace of Augsburg). The
Lutherstiege ‘museum of theology and history at St. Anne’s has also created a
permanent visitor attraction out of particularly resonant historical sites (the Confession
Room, Peace Room and Luther’s Room, where Luther stayed while visiting St. Anne’s in
October 1518). The historical resources are maintained with the assistance of the
Swabian Research Council and the Institute of European Cultural History at Augsburg
University.
11
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Brandenburg
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Mühlberg an der Elbe
Contact details
Brandenburgisches Ministerium f.
Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur
Dr. Uwe Koch
(Dr. Uwe Koch, Brandenburg Ministry of
Science, Research and Cultural Affairs)
Dortustr. 36
D-014467 Potsdam
Tel.: 0049-331-8664950
Fax: 0049-331-8864998
Email: [email protected]
Frau Hofmann,
Leiterin des Stadtmuseums Mühlberg
(Mrs. Hofmann, Director of Mühlberg Municipal
Museum)
Klosterstrasse 9,
D-04931 Mühlberg
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The battle, in the course of which areas of Mühlberg were destroyed by fire and the town
plundered, was an event of global historical significance. The Battle of Mühlberg on 24
April 1547 brought an end to the Schmalkaldic War which had been triggered by the
religious disputes between the princes of the Electorate of Saxony, representing the
Protestant countries, and supporters of the Catholic Empire, namely the imperial troops
led by Charles V and allied Saxon and Albertine forces (Duke Maurice of Saxony) and
Bohemian forces (King Ferdinand I).
During the battle, the Saxon Elector John Frederick the Magnanimous was taken
prisoner, resulting in the Capitulation of Wittenberg. Emperor Charles V granted the
electoral dignity to his initial ally, the Albertine Duke Maurice of Saxony, whose
principality was extended and strengthened considerably. Upon his release from
captivity in 1550, John Frederick the Magnanimous returned to the mere stump of an
Ernestine principality in Thuringia (Saxony-Weimar), which was much reduced in size
and influence.
As a direct consequence of these events, Elector Maurice of Saxony was able to place
the Protestant states under the protection of the new Electorate of Saxony and
safeguard the fruits of the Reformation from the Emperor. The historic Old Town of
Mühlberg has been very well preserved and restored; it is under a conservation order,
and features the Güldenstern monastery complex, which is of outstanding importance for
cultural history, as well as the castle, church and town hall built in 1545 by Duke Maurice
of Saxony on old foundations.
No archaeological traces of the battle have been found.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
Renovation work has already been completed to the fabric of the town museum in the
provost’s residence of the former Güldenstern monastery. There are plans to renovate
the interior in the next few years, and to rethink the content and focus of the exhibition.
12
The theme of the Battle of Mühlberg will be treated and presented in an attractive,
informative way in the refurbished museum.
Additional information boards and memorial stones which tell of the historic battle and
how it progressed are situated on the bank of the River Elbe and in the ‘Schweinert’
woods, which is possibly where Elector John Frederick the Magnanimous was taken
prisoner. A leaflet about the battle is available from the museum in Mühlberg; a more
substantial publication is in the pipeline.
Bibliography
‘1547, die Schlacht bei Mühlberg/Elbe: Entscheidung auf dem Wege zum albertinischen
Kurfürstentum Sachsen’ / Held, Wieland: 1st edition, Beucha: Sax-Verl., 1997
‘Eine Niederlage wird bewältigt: die Ernestiner und Kursachsen 1547 bis 1554’ / Bünz,
Enno. In: ‘Moritz von Sachsen – ein Fürst der Reformationszeit zwischen Territorium und
Reich’ (2007), pp. 94-117
‘Wo geriet Kurfürst Johann Friedrich am 24. April 1547 in Gefangenschaft?’
Bönisch, Fritz. In: ‘Neues Archiv für sächsische Geschichte’, Vol. 74/75. 2003/2004
(2004), pp. 403-412
13
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Brandenburg
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Jüterbog
Contact details
Brandenburgisches Ministerium für
Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur
Dr. Uwe Koch
(Dr. Uwe Koch, Brandenburg Ministry of
Science, Research and Cultural Affairs)
Dortustr. 36
D-14467 Potsdam
Tel.: 0049-331-8664950
Fax: 0049-331-8864998
Email: [email protected]
Herr Jannek,
Stadtmuseum für Kulturquartier Mönchenkloster
(Mr. Jannek, Municipal Museum
Mönchenkloster Cultural Quarter)
for
the
Mönchenkirchplatz 4
D-14913 Jüterbog
Tel.: 0049-3372-463144
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The Dominican monk Johann Tetzel preached at St. Nicholas’ Church in Jüterbog,
having moved there from Berlin in 1517. Tetzel is said to have sold indulgences like a
market trader with the cry, “Sobald der Gülden im Becken klingt / im huy die Seel im
Himmel springt” (“As soon as a coin in the coffer rings / the soul from purgatory
springs”). As Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, forbade the sale of indulgences in
his Electorate, many believers travelled to the area under the jurisdiction of the
archbishopric of Magdeburg, and to Jüterbog in particular, to buy tickets of indulgence
from Tetzel. The latter’s appearance in the town prompted Martin Luther to write his
theses against the sale of indulgences. Even contemporary accounts emphasise the
connection between events in Jüterbog and Luther’s theses. Few historians have ever
expressed doubt about the link.
In St. Nicholas’ Church is a ‘Tetzel chest’, which is said to have been used to store the
proceeds from the sales. Hans von Hake (1472-1541) is reputed to have presented the
chest to Jüterbog after confiscating it from Tetzel. Jüterbog was also the scene in the
spring of 1519 of disputes between Franz Günter, who preached the New Teaching, and
Thomas Müntzer on the one hand, and Jüterbog Franciscans on the other. An account
of the incident was given in Bernhard Dappen’s ‘Articuli … contra Lutheranos’ , which
was printed in Ingolstadt, clearly with the intention of providing ‘ammunition’ for the
Ingolstadt professor Johannes Eck (1486-1543) when he encountered Luther at the
Leipzig Disputation of 1519. It featured the first documented use of the term ‘Lutheran’,
albeit in a pejorative sense. The Gothic St. Nicholas’ Church with its three naves was
consecrated in 1488; it was first documented in 1307. It is notable for having two towers
with different roof styles and for a bridge which links them high above the ground.
14
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
With financial support from the Ministry of Science, Research and Cultural Affairs, the
museum in Mönchenkloster monastery is planning to conduct research on Johann Tetzel
in Jüterbog and on the role of the Reformation in the town, and to present the results as
part of the Luther Decade celebrations in the run-up to 2017. The findings are to be
presented as part of the redesigned permanent exhibition and in publications. The
history of the Reformation is also a focus of the current permanent exhibition. There is
already a good structure of cooperation between the museum and the Luther Memorial
Foundation. Jüterbog, which is a member of the Towns with Historic Centres Working
Group, is taking action on a number of fronts to raise its cultural and tourist profile.
Bibliography
Publications:
Valentin Gröne: ‘Tetzel und Luther’. Soest 1860, pp. 24 ff.; Leopold von Ranke:
‘Deutsche Geschichte im Zeitalter der Reformation’, Vol. 1., Wiesbaden 1957, p. 138;
Hans Volz: ‘Martin Luthers Thesenanschlag und dessen Vorgeschichte’. Weimar, 1959;
Johannes Wallmann: Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands seit der Reformation. 5th edition.
Tübingen, 2000, p. 19
15
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Hesse
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Schloss Marburg
(Marburg Castle)
D-35037 Marburg
Contact details
Dr. Reinhard Dietrich
Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft
und Kunst
(Hesse Ministry of Science and the Arts)
Rheinstrasse 23-25
D-65185 Wiesbaden
Tel.: 0049-611-323463
Fax: 0049-611-323499
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The only time the leaders of the two branches of the Reformation – Luther and Zwingli –
ever met was at the Religious Colloquy of 1529, which took place in Marburg Castle.
They argued vehemently about the nature of the Eucharist, and although they were able
to agree on many things, this remained the sticking point. Consequently, the intentions of
Landgrave Philip the Magnanimous, who wished to unite the two branches of the
Reformation and thereby strengthen the movement as a whole, came to nought. The
sizable reception hall – one of the largest secular Gothic rooms in Germany – has
survived to the present day, as has the Gothic castle chapel, which was restored just a
few years ago. Both Luther and Zwingli preached there. The original building and rooms
are all that has physically survived from the time to remind us of the Religious Colloquy.
On the periphery of these religious discussions was the recently founded University of
Marburg, which was the first university to be established during the Reformation. Its
professors literally provided the framework for the talks. 1529 was a climactic moment in
history: while the Reformers were wrestling with religious truths, the Ottomans stood
outside the gates of Vienna for the first time, shaking the Habsburgs and central Europe
to the core; a situation which was also to have repercussions for the Reformation.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The sizable reception hall – one of the largest secular Gothic rooms in Germany – has
survived to the present day, as has the Gothic castle chapel, which was restored just a
few years ago. Both Luther and Zwingli preached there. The original building and rooms
are the only physical mementos of the Religious Colloquy.
Today, much of Marburg Castle is used for exhibitions by Marburg University Museum of
Cultural History. One area is devoted to church history, and is currently being
redesigned. This includes explanatory material about the Religious Colloquy. 19 th
century attitudes to the event have coloured the way in which it is envisaged in Marburg:
a famous painting by August Noak (1822-1905) and a large wall-painting in the university
auditorium both address the subject. There is a considerable will in Marburg to give
greater prominence to the historic event through the agency of the European Heritage
Label – Sites of the Reformation project.
16
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Lower Saxony
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Johannes a Lasco Bibliothek
(John a Lasco Library)
Kirchstrasse 22
D-26721 Emden
Contact details
Wilhelm Lucka
Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur
(Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Cultural
Affairs)
Leibnizufer 9
D-30159 Hannover
Tel.: 0049-511-1202579
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The architectural style of the Evangelical Reformed Great Church of SS. Cosmas and
Damian dates back to its conversion into a three-nave hall church in the 15 th century. It
was partly destroyed during an air raid in 1943, and restored in 1993-95 with the
inclusion of modern elements to house the John a Lasco Library.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, it became the mother church of the Reformed
congregations in northwest Europe. This was set against the historical backdrop of the
Spanish-Dutch War in the 16th century, when the medium-sized harbour town became
the sanctuary of choice for Calvinist religious refugees from the occupied Netherlands
and France, who brought with them energy, capital and ships. During this period when
many of the Dutch ports were inaccessible, Emden became one of the most important
seaports in Europe and flourished, with culture too in the ascendant. The Reformed
parish of Emden evolved into a mother church and played a decisive role in the
establishment of Reformed Protestantism throughout northwest Europe. Following the
end of the Spanish-Dutch War, political and religious antagonism grew in Emden
between the Reformed community and the Lutheran ruler. The latter had to abandon his
residence in Emden, and after the Emden Revolution – which spread out from the Great
Church in 1595 – the town was granted extensive rights against its ruler under Dutch
protection.
The John a Lasco Library in Emden, which is much admired in specialist circles,
specialises in theology and the arts; it has been housed in the restored ruins of the
mediaeval Great Church since 1995, and is open to the public. Its collections cover in
particular the history and theology of Reformed Protestantism, the religious history of the
early modern period, and the local history of East Frisia. Its origins were in the library
founded by the church elder Gerhard tom Camp in 1559, which was housed in the Great
Church from 1570. Not only is it the oldest surviving library in East Frisia; its priceless
historic collection of books is also of national importance. Its many prints from the
Reformation period include works by the Polish humanist and theologian John a Lasco
(1499-1560) and volumes owned by Erasmus of Rotterdam. The collection swelled in
subsequent years largely as a result of donations and bequests from theologians,
lawyers, historians and doctors. Of particular importance for the library’s ancient stock
were the collections of the theologian Albert Hardenberg (died 1574), the Emden mayor
Petrus Medman (died 1583), the Palatine theologian Friedrich Salmuth (died 1625) and
the Emden legal counsel Geldericus Crumminga (died 1653). But various additions have
been made to the stock even in the current century, including the library of the former
Royal Consistory in Aurich, the research library of regional historian Professor Ritter
(died 1944), which contains many old prints, and that of Professor Niesel, theologian of
17
the Confessional Church and later President of the Reformed World Alliance.
The library currently holds around 100,000 books, with the early collection (up to 1850)
containing 6,592 titles including 75 incunabula, according to the printed catalogue. It is
estimated that a further 10,000 titles date from between 1851 and 1900. Some 3,400 16 th
century prints are also believed to be in the collection, as well as 3,200 from the 17 th
century, 2,000 from the 18th century and ca. 10,000 from the period up to 1850. A large
proportion of the prints are in Latin, but Dutch literature is also very well represented.
The library is named after the Reformer John a Lasco (1499-1560), who was born in
Poland and worked in Emden between 1540 and 1555. As a humanist who was intended
for high church office in Poland and benefited from an elite education, he was able to
acquire the famous and very important library of Erasmus of Rotterdam, whose pupil he
was. As the superintendent of the Church in East Frisia (1542-1549) and eventually the
founder of the Reformed Church in Poland, he was to become one of the most highprofile representatives of Reformed Protestantism.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
In 1993 the benefactors, namely the Evangelical Reformed parish of Emden and the
Evangelical Reformed Church, made the former library of the Emden parish legally
independent as a church foundation under civil law, and called it the John a Lasco
Library Foundation of the Great Church in Emden. The library is open to the public, and
is also a venue for concerts, lectures, exhibitions and other cultural events.
18
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
North Rhine-Westphalia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Münster, St. Lambert’s Church
Contact details
Dr. Birgitta Ringbeck
Ministerium für Bauen und Verkehr des
Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen
(Ministry of Construction and Transport of the
State of North Rhine-Westphalia)
Jürgensplatz 1
D-40219 Düsseldorf
Tel.: 0049-211-3843-5241
Fax: 0049-211-3843-935241
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
One of the many sects to emerge in the wake of Luther’s Reformation was the
Anabaptist movement. Its followers rejected infant baptism and believed that Jesus
Christ would return to earth. Its main stronghold was in the Netherlands, but it found
fertile ground in nearby Münster, because of the conflicts in the city between craftsmen
and the Roman Catholic clergy. The pastor Bernhard Rothmann preached in St.
Maurice’s Church on the side of the radical sects, and in January 1534 was behind a
council resolution whereby all inhabitants of other beliefs were compelled to leave
Münster. A few days later, Jan Matthys reached the city; he was a baker from Haarlem
and a self-appointed prophet of the Dutch Anabaptists. The Anabaptists wanted to make
Münster a ‘New Jerusalem’ and purge it of all traces of the past. On 24 February 1534,
this resulted in iconoclasm. During an attempt to incite soldiers in the army camp of the
Münster bishop Franz von Waldeck to desert, the unarmed Matthys was killed on 5 April
1534. His successor was John of Leiden, who dubbed himself King John I. His
repressive regime is remembered for the destruction of sacred artworks, the abolition of
money, the introduction of polygamy and the brutal treatment of apostates. Horrified by
his reign of terror, some local people divulged a weak point in the city walls to the
bishop’s troops. His army entered Münster during the night of 24 th/25th June 1535 and
slew hundreds of Anabaptists, including the pastor Rothmann. John of Leiden, his
advisor Bernd Knipperdolling, and his ‘governor’ Bernd Krechting were taken prisoner.
They were paraded through the diocese for weeks in cages, so that everyone could
witness their defeat. After suffering barbarous torture, they were finally executed on 22
January 1536. Their corpses were placed in three iron cages and hoisted up to just
below the steeple of St. Lambert’s Church.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The cages were made in 1535 by Master Berthold, a blacksmith from Lüdinghausen.
Originally, they were intended for the transportation of prisoners. When the dilapidated
church tower was demolished in 1887, they were removed, photographed and returned
to the new building in 1898. Following restoration in 1927, they even survived the war
damage to the tower in 1944/45. The originals continue to be suspended from St.
Lambert’s Church.
19
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Rhineland Palatinate
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Die Ebernburg
(Ebernburg Castle)
D-55583 Bad Münster
am Stein-Ebernburg
Contact details
Dr. Carlo Servatius,
Ministerium für Bildung,
Jugend und Kultur
Wissenschaft,
(Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and
Cultural Affairs)
Mittlere Bleiche 61
D-55116 Mainz
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
5 km to the southwest of Bad Kreuznach on a hill overlooking the confluence of the
Alsenz and Nahe rivers lies Ebernburg Castle, which was extended in the last third of the
15th century into a mighty Renaissance stronghold. 16 th century woodprints show that it
was completed under Franz von Sickingen, who sheltered the humanist Ulrich von
Hutten at the castle from September 1520, and was persuaded by the latter to adopt
Lutheran theology. It was on Sickingen’s orders that Martin Bucer (1491-1551)
attempted to dissuade the Reformer Martin Luther from travelling to the Diet of Worms
when he intercepted him in Oppenheim on 15 April 1521, and instead to seek refuge at
Ebernburg Castle. The castle was of particular importance for southwest Germany
during the period of the Reformation as a result of Sickingen’s actions. From 1520 on, it
provided shelter for the Protestant theologians Martin Bucer, Kaspar Aquila (1488-1560),
Johannes Oekolampad (1482-1531) and Johannes Schwebel (1490-1540) from
Zweibrücken, who was later to become a Reformer. In May 1522, Oekolampad
celebrated the Eucharist according to the Lutheran liturgy in the castle chapel at
Ebernburg. The sobriquets ‘Asylum of Justice’ and ‘Wartburg of the West’ refer to this
early period of the Reformation. The castle was destroyed in 1523, 1698 and 1797, but
on each occasion was restored, and since the early 20 th century it has served as a home
and conference centre for the Ebernburg Foundation and the Ebernburg Association.
The valuable collections on the history of the Reformation belonging to the Ebernburg
Foundation and the Ebernburg Museum were lost, but from 1950 on, books, illustrated
documents and archive materials on the history of the castle and the Sickingens, the
Reformation and the Reformers have been gathered together. Today, the castle can
once again boast a substantial library on church history, which includes a collection of
woodcuts and copperplate engravings from the period of the Reformation.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The Ebernburg Education Centre has now also taken up residence at the castle
alongside the Ebernburg Foundation with its religious and historical activities, including
lecture and publishing projects. The castle complex itself is administered by the
Ebernburg Association with funding from three Evangelical state churches. The centre
can now sleep more than 120, and also has suitable conference rooms. Some 22,000
overnight and conference guests attend the centre every year. In addition, its
topographical position makes Ebernburg a very popular destination for day-trippers. In
1889, a monument designed by the Bad Kreuznach sculptor Carl Cauer (1828-1885)
was erected at the foot of the hill, dedicated to ‘The pioneers of German unity and
greatness/Ulrich von Hutten/Franz von Sickingen’. The former is represented as a
humanistic man of letters, and the latter as a knight. The Ebernburg Foundation itself
20
collaborates closely with the Chairs of Theology at the Universities of Mainz, KoblenzLandau and Marburg. Its premises are available for research workshops for
schoolchildren and for students of theology and history.
21
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Rhineland Palatinate
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Worms
Contact details
Dr. Carlo Servatius,
Ministerium für Bildung,
Jugend und Kultur
Wissenschaft,
(Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and
Cultural Affairs)
Mittlere Bleiche 61
D-55116 Mainz
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
Martin Luther spent 10 days in Worms in April 1521. His appearance at and address to
the Diet of Worms sparked the rapid and unremitting spread of the Reformation. The
promulgation of the Edict of Worms in May 1521 which outlawed Luther and his followers
had a decisive influence on history and brought about the religious schism in Germany.
The destruction wrought during the Palatinate War of Succession in 1689 obliterated all
physical traces of Martin Luther in Worms and destroyed the buildings in which he had
stayed. The historic events of 1521 have lived on in another way, however. Evangelical
sermons have been preached at St. Magnus Church since 1520/21.
In the early 18th century, the Evangelical parish built the Church of the Holy Trinity to
commemorate the Reformation. It maintains this tradition by caring for the so-called
‘Luther tree’ in Pfiffingheim near Worms.
In Heylshofgarten, a slab marks the spot where, in 1521, Martin Luther refused to recant
his doctrine before the Diet.
A Luther memorial was also commissioned; completed in 1868, it was designed by the
Dresden artist Ernst Rietschel.
Luther stands at the centre of the memorial complex, surrounded by the four
predecessors to the Reformation – Petrus Waldus, John Wycliffe, Jan Hus and Girolamo
Savonarola. It also features sympathisers and supporters of the Reformation: Elector
Frederick the Wise and Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, and the humanists Johann Reuchlin
and Phillip Melanchthon. The Protestant towns of Speyer, Magdeburg and Augsburg
(Peace of Augsburg, 1555) are represented as female figures. A relief on the front of the
pedestal portrays the scene at the Diet. The first printed edition of the English translation
of the New Testament by William Tyndale was produced in Worms in 1526.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The city of Worms is currently engaged in developing a close network with the other
Luther towns as part of the decade of Luther celebrations leading up to 2017. An
extensive programme of events is being prepared, which will end in 2021, the
anniversary year of the Imperial Diet. Since 1996, Worms and the other Luther towns
have awarded a prize every two years known as, ‘Das unerschrockene Wort’ (‘The
Intrepid Word’).
The municipal museum in St. Andreas’ Church recalls Luther’s appearance before the
Imperial Diet in Worms (Luther Room). Contemporary utensils are displayed, but most of
the exhibits are pictorial representations from the time of the Reformation, some
depicting events at the Imperial Diet. There are also early 16th century prints.
22
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Saxony
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Contact details
Frau Oberbürgermeisterin
Schloss Hartenfels mit Schlosskapelle
und Katharina-Luther-Stube
(Hartenfels Castle with the Castle Chapel
and Katharina Luther Room)
Katharinenstr. 11
D-04860 Torgau
(The Lady Mayor)
Andrea Staude
Stadt Torgau
Markt 1
D-04860 Torgau
Superintendentur Torgau-Delitzsch
(Sup. Dr. Stawenow, Delitzsch)
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
An electoral residence and the scene of important political and theological meetings and
decisions on the progress of the Reformation (1526, League of Torgau; ‘Torgau Articles’
which prepared the way for the Augsburg Confession of 1530, and the 1576 ‘Torgau
Book’, a theological report on the different teachings of Lutheran theologians). The first
Evangelical sermon was delivered in St. Nicholas’ Church in 1520 (in the courtyard of
the town hall). Luther was a frequent visitor to Torgau, where he preached more than
forty times, as were Melanchthon and other Reformers. 1526 saw the founding of the
first Evangelical town choir by Johann Walter, a friend of Luther’s and the first ever
Evangelical choirmaster. Torgau was at the hub of musical life in Ernestine Saxony. On
5 October 1544, Luther preached at the consecration of the first Evangelical castle
chapel. Even today, one can discern in its architecture the new principal features of
Protestant religious doctrine: the pulpit is positioned centrally in the interior of the church,
the motifs on the pulpit and the internal colour scheme have been inspired by Lucas
Cranach the Elder, and the organ is placed above the altar. The castle remained an
important residence of the Saxon Electors even after the electoral dignity had been
passed to the Albertine line of Wettins. The important role of Torgau as a town of royal
residence during the Renaissance is clearly reflected in the well preserved Old Town.
Torgau is not only the place where Martin Luther’s wife, Katharina von Bora, died on 20
December 1552; it was also the first station on her path to life outside a nunnery. The
Torgau alderman Leonhard Koppe helped 12 nuns to flee from Nimbschen convent near
Grimma on Easter night, 1523. Johannes Luther, her eldest son, attended school in
Torgau in 1542/43. Son Paul married the Torgau patrician’s daughter Anna von
Warbeck.
Katharina’s final resting place was in the town church of St. Mary, where Luther often
preached. Here one can see her epitaph with the Luther rose, a coat of arms and a
portrait of the deceased.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
Hartenfels Castle with the great spiral staircase and castle chapel; St. Mary’s town
church with a tomb featuring a relief of Katharina von Bora and the Luther rose; Lucas
Cranach the Elder: ‘The 14 Helpers in Need’ (early work); municipal museum in the
former Electoral Chancellery; house where Katharina von Bora died and museum
23
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Saxony
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Ev. Pfarrkirche St. Katharinen
(St. Catherine’s Evangelical Parish Church)
Katharinenkirchhof
D-08056 Zwickau
Contact details
Herr Wilfried Stoye
Leiter Kulturamt Zwickau
(Mr. Wilfried Stoye, Director of Zwickau Cultural
Office)
Kolpingstrasse 8
D-08058 Zwickau
Tel.: 0049-375-834100
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
Zwickau is traditionally believed to be the first European town to have widely embraced
the Reformation. Sermons sympathetic to the cause were already being preached there
in 1518. Luther visited Zwickau from 27 April to 3 May 1522, and preached there several
times. Melanchthon was also a visitor to the town. Considerable correspondence exists
between the Reformers and Luther’s friends among the council members, local
population and pastors of the town, such as the mayor Hermann Mühlpfordt and the
pastor at St. Mary’s. From 1520 to 1521, Thomas Müntzer preached first at St. Mary’s
Church, and then at St. Catherine’s. The later so-called ‘Zwickau Prophets’ led by
Nicholas Storch rejected infant baptism and ascribed greater authority to one’s personal
experience of faith than to the written word of the Bible. They were expelled from the
town in 1521.
In 1529, Nicolaus Hausmann was appointed the first Evangelical superintendent; in 1524
he held the first Evangelical service in the German language.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
St. Catherine’s Church where Thomas Müntzer preached, with altar from the Cranach
workshop (1518), St. Mary’s Church with polyptych altar by Michael Wolgemut (1479),
which was modified in the course of the Reformation, municipal museum with priests’
houses, municipal archive and Ratsschule library
Bibliography
24
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Saxony-Anhalt
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Lutherstadt Eisleben
Contact details
Ingo Mundt
Kultusministerium des Landes SachsenAnhalt
(Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs of
Saxony-Anhalt)
Turmschanzenstr. 32
D-39114 Magdeburg
Tel.: 0049-391-5673635
Fax: 0049-391-5673855
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
Eisleben is one of the oldest towns between the Harz and the Elbe, and even by
mediaeval times was an extensive settlement with a number of districts. From the Middle
Ages, it owed its economic development to copper slate mining in the County of
Mansfeld. The Counts of Mansfeld ruled the town. Its heyday was in the 15 th and 16th
centuries, but the mining tradition was reflected in the town, including in its architecture,
until into the 20th century. The layout, type of settlement and many of the buildings to be
found in a prosperous early modern mining town are impressively apparent in the
generously proportioned town centre and the still easily recognisable New Town. The
signs of Eisleben’s erstwhile prosperity are particularly evident around the market
square. Many late mediaeval and early modern buildings have survived in the historic
town centre. Martin Luther was born and baptised in Eisleben, and it was here too that
he died. Because of his baptism in St. Peter’s Church, he had a strong emotional
attachment to the town, despite only living there for a few months, and throughout his life
he constantly returned there.
The following buildings in Eisleben are integral to the history of the Reformation:
• the house where Martin Luther was born
• the house where he died (‘actual’ and ‘staged’)
• the Church of SS. Peter and Paul, where he was baptised
• Kronenfriedhof cemetery (one of the first Campo Santo graveyards established
outside town as required by Luther)
• St. Anne’s Church with the former Augustinian Hermit Monastery (where monks’ cells
from Luther’s time were recently discovered)
• St. Andrew’s Church
The town centre forms a single unit with these directly accessible sites and buildings.
Maintained and developed in an exemplary fashion in recent years after a huge effort by
all concerned, demographic changes have now left it facing serious challenges. The
Luther Trail and the new buildings at both Luther memorial sites are testament to the
great attentiveness – also on the part of the municipal authorities – shown to the
particular cultural heritage of Eisleben. Its importance by virtue of its links with the
Reformation helps promote a sense of identity within the urban regeneration process.
25
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
• Martin Luther birthplace complex
• House where Luther died
• Baptismal church of SS. Peter and Paul (plans for its additional use as an International
Ecumenical Baptismal Centre)
• Kronenfriedhof cemetery (one of the first Campo Santo graveyards established
outside town as required by Luther)
• St. Anne’s Church with the former Augustinian Hermit Monastery (where monks’ cells
from Luther’s time were recently discovered)
• St. Andrew’s Church
• The Luther Trail linking many sites in the town
26
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Saxony-Anhalt
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Mansfeld-Lutherstadt
Contact details
Ingo Mundt
Kultusministerium des Landes SachsenAnhalt
(Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs of
Saxony-Anhalt)
Turmschanzenstr. 32
D-39114 Magdeburg
Tel.: 0049-391-5673635
Fax: 0049-391-5673855
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
Together with Eisleben, Mansfeld was one of the principal European centres of copper
and silver extraction in early modern times, and enjoyed an economic boom under the
Counts of Mansfeld, especially in the 15 th and 16th centuries. Martin Luther’s father, Hans
Luder, settled there with his wife and months old child in 1484 as a mining entrepreneur.
Martin spent his childhood in the town, where he attended school from 1488 to 1496. He
was an altar boy in the church which preceded St. George’s.
The castle belonging to the Counts of Mansfeld is symbolic of the former wealth and
political importance of the region, a supplier of a raw material which was in great
demand. Since Martin Luther maintained a close relationship throughout his life with the
Counts, the castle and town should be regarded as a single entity.
The following are integral to the town’s importance as a monument:
• The castle of the Counts of Mansfeld – one of the earliest and largest Renaissance
castles in Germany, and one of the strongest fortresses of its time. The castle chapel
is a late Gothic church building of very high quality and with authentic furnishings.
• Luther’s parents’ house – a relatively large property which comprised two residential
buildings and a linking structure. This latter was demolished in 1805, with the result
that the parents’ house now comprises two separate buildings at 24 and 26
Lutherstrasse. These are now used as a museum. Recently, important archaeological
finds have provided a greater insight into the everyday life of the family.
•
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
Mansfeld Castle is operated by the German YMCA as a hostel whose popularity
continues to grow. In recent years, it has been used frequently for academic excursions
from universities in central Germany and Berlin.
There are plans to use the complex of buildings around Luther’s parents’ house to erect
a visitor centre featuring the important archaeological finds in a collaborative project to
mark the ‘Luther Decade’ between the Luther Memorial Foundation and the State Office
for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and Archaeology.
27
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Saxony-Anhalt
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Contact details
Ingo Mundt
Kultusministerium des Landes SachsenAnhalt
(Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs of
Saxony-Anhalt)
Turmschanzenstr. 32
D-39114 Magdeburg
Tel.: 0049-391-5673635
Fax: 0049-391-5673855
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The residence of the Duchy of Saxony-Wittenberg was granted its town charter in 1293.
From 1486 to 1547 it flourished as the residence of the Saxon Electors, who also
founded the university in 1502. As the Reformation took hold around it, the town became
a centre of humanism. The publication of writings in support of the Reformation led to its
printing presses becoming the most famous in Germany, and the activities of Lucas
Cranach the Elder and his workshop meant it was also a centre of art.
The high mediaeval layout of the town and the generously proportioned buildings which
were erected or renovated after the town’s conversion into a Renaissance residence,
which was initiated by Elector Frederick the Wise, are quite remarkable. These are
complemented by the magnificent properties of wealthy burghers, which have
maintained their authentic early modern form, both externally and internally, and have
been very sympathetically renovated over the last 20 years.
The following are of note:
• St. Mary’s Evangelical Parish Church
• The castle
• The castle church
• The town hall
• The Collegium Augusteum and Luther’s House
• The Collegium Fridericianum (now the Leucorea Foundation)
• Melanchthon’s House
• Bugenhagen’s House
• The two Cranach courtyards
• The town layout, with its street system and plots of land
• The town view, especially from the River Elbe
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
Luther’s House and Melanchthon’s House are managed as museums by the SaxonyAnhalt Luther Memorial Foundation. The Foundation publishes an academic series
documenting its own and other agencies’ research into the history of the Reformation.
28
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Wartburg
(Wartburg Castle)
D-99817 Eisenach
Contact details
Burghauptmann Günter Schuchardt
Wartburg-Stiftung Eisenach
(Castle commandant Günter
Wartburg Foundation, Eisenach)
Schuchardt,
Auf der Wartburg 1,
D-99817 Eisenach
Tel.: 0049-3691-250241
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.wartburg.de
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The Wartburg is of incredible significance for the Reformation, because Martin Luther
found asylum here for ten months after being taken into protective custody following the
events in Worms, and it was during this time that he translated the New Testament from
Greek to German.
With hindsight, the Diet of Worms in 1521 was a turning point in history. Luther was not
prepared to recant his theses, and adhered to his principle that for him, the Bible
represented the ultimate authority. Thereupon, Emperor Charles V sought to declare him
an outlaw so that he could proceed against him as a heretic. Luther’s protector, the
Saxon Elector Frederick the Wise, took steps to prevent his prosecution by the
Emperor’s henchmen. After a staged capture of which the Reformer had been given
advance notice, he went into hiding at the Wartburg for several months in the guise of
‘Junker Jörg’; he dressed as a knight, allowed his hair to grow over his tonsure and
acquired a beard. Only a few insiders were privy to his true identity. Many in the Empire
believed that he had lost his life during his capture. Luther lived in a room with a small
bedchamber in the northern part of the castle, which has been preserved as an authentic
Luther site.
During this time, he dedicated himself to the text at the centre of his programme of
reformation: the Holy Scripture. Within ten weeks, he had translated the New Testament
from the Greek original into German. Although there were already 18 German
translations of the Bible in existence, they were not based on the earliest sources. Luther
made the Holy Scripture accessible to unsophisticated believers in simple, everyday
language. The first edition of 3,000 copies appeared anonymously in September 1522
and was snapped up within days. Another 85 editions appeared by 1533 alone. The
translation of the Bible is Luther’s greatest literary achievement and – considering its
impact – his theological magnum opus.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
Since it was founded in 1922, the Wartburg Foundation has dedicated itself to Martin
Luther’s work and the impact of the Reformation. Quite apart from the major exhibitions
marking the 450th anniversary of the Reformation in 1967, the 500th anniversary of
Luther’s birth in 1983 and the 450 th anniversary of his death in 1996, special exhibitions
also constantly address and reflect themes related to the Reformation. The most recent
of these, in 2009, celebrated the 475 th anniversary of the publication by Luther in 1534 of
the first Bible to contain both Testaments. This is being followed in 2010 by one on
polemics and mockery during the Reformation. In 2012 there is to be a special exhibition
29
on the erstwhile Reformation Room at the Wartburg featuring Luther’s illustrated
biography, and a further exhibition is being planned for 2015 on ‘Luther, Cranach and the
portraits’. This is to be followed in 2016 by an exploration of the myths surrounding
Luther entitled, ‘The devil and the ink stain’. The decade of Luther celebrations will end
in 2017 with the jubilee exhibition, ‘Ein feste Burg’ (‘A mighty fortress’). The 500 th
anniversary of Martin Luther’s stay at the Wartburg will be commemorated in 2021/2022.
Publications will accompany all of the exhibitions. There are many Luther artefacts in the
Wartburg’s art collection, such as a number of portraits from the Cranach workshop,
Luther’s personal copy of the two-Testament Bible of 1541, his travelling spoon, and
many pamphlets associated with the Reformation.
A concert with a suitable programme is scheduled to be broadcast in the years
preceding 2017 in association with Deutschlandradio and MDR. Evangelical Lutheran
services are held regularly in the chapel at the Wartburg.
Every three years, the Luther Society and the Wartburg Foundation host an academic
conference on Luther in Eisenach and at the Wartburg (the next are scheduled for 2011,
2014 and 2017). In February 2012 there is to be an academic symposium on ‘Luther and
Bach’ in Eisenach, which is being organised by Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, the
superintendent’s office in Eisenach, the administrators of Luther’s House and Bach’s
House, and the Wartburg Foundation. Two thirds of the some 400,000 people who visit
the Wartburg every year were motivated to come by their interest in Martin Luther and
his translation of the Bible, which began here. The Wartburg Foundation is a member of
the ‘Sites of the European Reformation’ and ‘Routes to Luther’ tourist associations. A
close contractual partnership exists with the Evangelical Lutheran Wartburg College in
Waverly, Iowa (USA).
30
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Georgenkirche
(St. George’s Church)
Markt
D-99817 Eisenach
Contact details
Superintendentin Martina Berlich
Obere Predigergasse 1
D-99817 Eisenach
Tel.: 0049-3691-203432;
0049-173-8385168
Oberpfarrer Stephan Köhler
(Chief pastor Stephan Köhler)
Pfarrberg 6
D-99817 Eisenach
Tel.: 0049-3691-732620
0049-1522-8758169
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
During his time as a singing and Latin scholar at St. George’s school in Eisenach
between 1498 and 1501, Martin Luther is believed also to have sung as a chorister at St.
George’s Church, albeit probably in the Romanesque predecessor to the present
building, which was constructed in 1180 in honour of St. George, the patron saint of
Eisenach. The façade of the church which we see today dates mostly from 1898-1902.
Martin Luther preached in the newly-built late Gothic structure (1515) on his way to and
from the Diet of Worms in 1521. In 1523, Jacob Strauss was the first Protestant pastor at
St. George’s, which was badly damaged in 1525 during the Peasants’ War. In the same
year, a peasant leader was decapitated in front of the church. Because of its ruinous
state, the surviving part of the building was converted into an equipment store and
stables in 1529; it was not until 1554-1560 that it was restored as a church.
Also of significance here in terms of the Reformation is the tomb of Nicolaus von
Amsdorf. He was the first Evangelical bishop (based in Naumburg) and was later general
superintendent of the Ernestine lands. There is also a plaque (1638) commemorating the
‘Prophet of the Revolution’ Johann Hüten in St. George’s Church. In around 1500, he
predicted that the Reformation would take place in 1516. Also of interest is the diptych
on the Reformation donated in 1618 by Duke Johann Ernst I of Saxony to mark the 100 th
anniversary of the Reformation. It depicts the presentation of the Augsburg Confession
and the celebration of Holy Communion in both kinds (Luther hands John the Steadfast
the chalice, whilst Frederick the Wise receives bread from Hus).
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
A special series of services for October Sundays started in 2009 which was entitled,
‘Eisenach sermons in the Luther Decade’, which is intended to take its inspiration from
the theological and rhetorical quality of Luther’s sermons. The content is to relate to the
themed years of the Decade, and/or to topical matters. In the first year, the series of
sermons looked back twenty years to the peaceful revolution of 1989 as part of the
‘Blessed unrest’ campaign of the Evangelical Church in central Germany. Guest
preachers from partner churches in the Czech Republic, Hungary and BadenWürttemberg were invited. In 2010, the series of sermons will address the 20 th
anniversary of German reunification on 3 October of that year. Also, on the first four days
in May – in collaboration with the Wartburg, Luther’s House and the District of Wartburg
31
– an annual series of events commemorates Martin Luther’s arrival at the Wartburg on 4
May 1521 on his return from the Diet of Worms. Martin Luther preached at St. George’s
Church on that occasion, so on 2 May a special event takes place there. Since as long
ago as 1852, services have been held at the Wartburg between 4 May and 31 October;
these will have special significance during the Luther Decade, and will be organised
accordingly. The Eisenach congregation is also involved in the annual Luther Festival
organised by the Eisenach Luther Association in August, staging special highlights from
the programme in St. George’s Church, such as a night of organ music in 2010.
Events in St. George’s Church, Eisenach in the themed years of 2012 (‘Reformation and
music’) and 2015 (‘Reformation, image and Bible’) will reflect these respective subject
areas. A specialist symposium on ‘Luther and Bach’ is scheduled for February 2012; this
is to be organised in association with the Wartburg and the administrators of Luther’s
House and Bach’s House, and will incorporate specialist talks, workshops, services and
public concerts.
Cooperation is already underway with Friedrich Schiller University in Jena in preparation
for this. The symposium takes as its starting point what Martin Luther and Johann
Sebastian Bach had in common when they lived in Eisenach. Authentic exhibits
testifying to this connection include the original font used at Bach’s baptism and the
singing of the Eisenach choristers in St. George’s, the oldest choir in Eisenach of which
both Luther and Bach were members. In a desire to continue this musical tradition, St.
George’s Church in Eisenach provides a feast of delights for lovers of church music. As
well as cantata services organised by the Bach Choir and Ambrosius Chamber
Orchestra under the baton of the choirmaster at St. George’s, there are also regular
organ recitals and concerts of chamber music. In addition, major choral works are
performed several times a year; St. George’s is already visited by a large and growing
number of people from Germany and all over the world. That is why the church is to be
included in a new Evangelical adult education project in Thuringia, whereby
schoolchildren, tour guides and volunteers are to be trained to provide knowledgeable
information in a number of languages about St. George’s Church and its links with the
Reformation. St. Nicholas’ Church in Eisenach is also to be involved in the Luther
Decade activities, and – among other things – developed into a visitor portal for spiritual
tourism in Eisenach.
Bibliography
32
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Contact details
Frau Almrodt
Lutherplatz 8
D-99817 Eisenach
Tel.: 0049-3691-29830
Lutherhaus
(Luther’s House)
Lutherplatz 8
D-99817 Eisenach
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
Luther’s House is one of the oldest surviving half-timbered houses in Eisenach.
Reference has been made to its association with Luther since the late 18th century. This
tradition was given much greater prominence in 1817, on the occasion of the 300 th
anniversary of the nailing of the theses to the church door. Two ‘Luther rooms’ have
been connected with Luther’s stay in this house since the late 19 th century. The present
Luther House is one of the houses formerly owned by the Cotta family in Eisenach. As a
schoolboy, Martin Luther found a home in one of them between 1498 and 1501. Luther
completed his school education at St. George’s Latin School in Eisenach, before
attending Erfurt University. The later Reformer cherished very warm memories of
Eisenach and of living with the Cotta family. He called Eisenach “my beloved town”. It is
not unlikely that Luther developed some important ideas and stimuli for his later life
during the final years of his schooling. He was in contact with the Collegium Schalbense,
a free association of monks – particularly from the former Franciscan monastery – and
local people who lived a personal life of piety (prayer fellowships, the reading of religious
texts, etc.). Martin Luther also remembered his teachers in Eisenach with gratitude. In
1526, he advocated the cause of Wigand Güldenapf to the Elector. Although it is not
possible to prove beyond doubt that Martin Luther lived in the house on Lutherplatz in
Eisenach, the building has certainly been associated with his stay in the town for very
many years. It is visited by some 30,000 people every year, and is therefore an
important beacon in Eisenach’s museum landscape.
The house suffered serious bomb damage in 1944, but had been rebuilt by 1948. Once it
had recovered from the ravages of the Second World War, it was opened as a Luther
memorial by the Thuringian State Church in 1956. Following the Diet of Worms, at which
Luther refused to recant his writings, the Edict of Worms declared him an outlaw (he had
already been excommunicated by the Church). In order to avoid the inherent dangers
that this entailed, Luther was kept in protective custody at the Wartburg, where he
translated the New Testament. This phase is also given particular prominence in the
exhibition at Luther’s House, as is his time as a schoolboy in Eisenach.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
Luther’s House is open daily to visitors. Introductory talks and educational
questionnaires are available, as are audioguides and explanatory brochures in 15
languages.
The exhibition rooms are designed to familiarise visitors with the life and work of the
German religious reformer. Particular attention is paid to Luther’s translation of the Bible
and his influence on upbringing and education. An exhibition from the Evangelical
parsonage archive can be seen on the upper floor. This explains the importance of the
33
Evangelical parsonage for science and culture, with an introduction to some of the
individuals involved.
There are also regular group offers, which can be booked for different sizes of party and
for different age-groups: in ‘School classes of yesteryear’, for instance, children aged 8
and over can experience at first hand what and how lessons were taught in Luther’s
time, and what punishments were meted out. ‘Luther for children’ is aimed at the
youngest visitors and is conducted by a member of the museum’s educational staff; it
includes story-telling, costumes and a typical meal. ‘A refreshment’ reveals itself to be a
tour with a costumed guide through the town and house, which informs visitors about the
background to the Reformation and the everyday culture of the time. Since 1996 there
has been a permanent exhibition on Luther himself, who is introduced among other
things as a schoolboy and translator of the Bible, as well as special exhibitions, readings
and museum festivals.
Bibliography
34
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Bartholomäi-Kirche
(St. Bartholomew’s Church)
Burgstrasse
D-04600 Altenburg
Contact details
Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirchengemeinde
Pfarrer Reinhard Kwaschik
(Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rev. Reinhard
Kwaschik)
Friedrich-Ebert Str. 2
D-04600 Altenburg
Tel.: 0049-3447-4336
Email: [email protected]
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
St. Bartholomew’s Church has strong associations with the work of Spalatin, one of the
most important protagonists of the Reformation in Thuringia, and was also one of the
places where Luther preached. Evangelical preachers came to the church as early as
1522 (Gabriel Didymus and Wenceslas Linck). The first marriage of a man of the cloth
was solemnised here in 1525 between Wenceslas Linck and a bride whose name is long
forgotten, with Luther presiding.
George Spalatin worked in Altenburg as chief parson from 1525, and then from 1528 as
superintendent, making his the third appointment of a superintendent in Thuringia (after
Orlamünde and Jena).
As Luther’s friend and comrade-in-arms, George Spalatin (1484-1545) not only
translated Luther’s ideas into reality in many ways, but also provided him with vital
support at difficult times of his life. He played a key role, for instance, in the disputes
leading up to the nailing of the theses in 1517 and following the Diet of Worms. Thus it
was he who was behind the plan to carry off Luther to the Wartburg for his own
protection. Spalatin was buried in St. Bartholomew’s Church. A stone slab in the chancel
and a bronze plaque with a necrology in Latin (by J. Stigel, a pupil of Melanchthon) next
to the sacristy as well as a stone relief at the Church of the Brethren in Altenburg all
commemorate the life of George Spalatin.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Altenburg commemorates the anniversary of
Spalatin’s death every year on 16 January, as well as holding an annual reception on
31st October – Reformation Day – with suitable speakers.
A series of lectures on the Luther Decade is being organised by Altenburg Academy in
association with the Church. Also in the pipeline is a permanent exhibition on Spalatin,
Martin Luther and Frederick the Wise. Altenburg’s council archive is home to the socalled Spalatin Bible, which was in the latter’s possession and is one of those known to
have been used by Luther for his translation at the Wartburg.
35
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Collegium Maius
Michaelisstrasse
D-99084 Erfurt
Contact details
Evangelische Kirche in Mitteldeutschland
Das Landeskirchenamt
Referat Bau
Herrn Bernd Rüttinger
(Evangelical Church in Central Germany)
Dr. Moritz Mitzenheim-Str. 2a
D-99817 Eisenach
Tel.: 0049-3691-678430
Dr. Räder,
Universitätsgesellschaft
(The University Society)
Tel.: 0049-160-9481-4990
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The Collegium Maius is the oldest part of the University of Erfurt (founded 1389). It is the
impressive main building of the University, and was the site of the Faculty of Philosophy.
It was there that Luther was a philosophy student from 1501 to 1505, graduating with a
Magister artium. In 1505 he began to study law, again at the University of Erfurt. This
was the year which also marked a decisive turning-point in Luther’s life. A personal
experience is believed to have affected him so deeply that he vowed to become a monk;
he entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt in July 1505.
The Collegium Maius was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War.
Between 1979 and 1981, the vaulted entrance was reconstructed, complete with stylised
baroque plant decoration, a baldachin and plaques. A start was made on rebuilding the
entire complex using salvaged stone in 1998. The shell and a partial extension have
since been completed. In 2008, the building was sold by the City of Erfurt to the
Evangelical Church. Construction work is continuing, and it is due to open as the
administrative centre for the Evangelical Church in Central Germany in 2010.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The Collegium Maius is currently being rebuilt as an administrative centre. The room on
the upper floor will probably also by used by the University Society, which is arranging a
considerable number of activities in association with the Luther Decade (lectures,
publications, etc.). The Society has showcased the University’s history in an exhibition;
the accompanying book is also accessible as a PDF file.
(http://neu.universitaetsgesellschaft.de/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Begleitbuch-z-AusstellungGESAMTDOKUM1.pdf). One section is dedicated to Martin Luther.
The University Society displays two models of the Collegium Maius which have
accompanied the reconstruction. These were made to assist the technical discussions
surrounding the type of roof to be rebuilt. The choice was between the earlier Gothic
pitched roof and the Renaissance roof which crowned the building until it was destroyed
during the Second World War.
Bibliography
36
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Contact details
Augustinerkloster
Herr Lothar Schmelz
(Augustinian monastery)
Augustinerstr. 10
Augustinerstrasse 10
D-99084 Erfurt
D-99084 Erfurt
Tel.: 0049-361-576600
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
It was at the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt that the young monk and theologian Martin
Luther was moulded into the future protagonist in the Reformation movement. His entry
into the Augustinian monastery in 1505 marked a decisive turning-point in his life. He
was accepted there as a novice, and took his vows in 1506. Luther remained a member
of the Augustinian monastery until 1511, although in 1508 he moved to the Augustinian
monastery in Wittenberg to take up a chair in moral philosophy at the university there. In
1509 he returned to Erfurt, where he regularly delivered lectures at the monastery before
setting out for Rome on the instructions of the Augustinian order. There is evidence that
he returned to the monastery for a short period in 1515 in connection with his activities
as a district vicar; he also stopped off there frequently during his travels until the
monastery was dissolved in 1522.
Following the secularisation of the monastery by the City of Erfurt in 1559, the building
was put to a number of different uses, serving as a grammar school, a library of the
Evangelical Ministry (the collections have survived to the present day and may still be
accessed) and an orphanage. Today, the Augustinian monastery is owned by the
Evangelical Church in Central Germany, and since 2004 it has been a cultural
monument of special national significance.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The Augustinian monastery houses a permanent display on Martin Luther. Following
extensive conversion and renovation work, it is once again being run according to the
Lutheran principles of ‘meeting and prayer’. The monastery offers a forum for lectures
and discussion groups on topical social issues, sometimes in association with the
Thuringian branch of Evangelical Adult Education. The Renaissance courtyard is used
regularly as a venue for festive events, concerts and drama productions. Night-time
concerts are held in the cloisters and church during the summer months. The monastery
offers eight different conference rooms for events lasting one or more days. The library,
which is open to the public, was founded in 1646 as a foundation for Evangelical pastors
who are members of the Evangelical Ministry, the advisory body.
The library currently holds some 60,000 volumes, making it one of the most important
collections of religious books in Germany. The roughly 13,000 manuscripts and prints
which predate 1850 include incunabula, writings on the Reformation and books on the
subject of Luther. As an academic institution, the library now offers unrestricted access
to researchers.
On 31 October, the 2010/2011 Luther themed year will begin; this will be organised by
the Augustinian monastery and the City of Erfurt. A related exhibition will be held in the
so-called Georgenburse (where Luther lived as a student), focusing on student life in the
Middle Ages. The monastery is organising a trip to Rome in 2011 which will follow in
Luther’s footsteps.
37
European Heritage Label; Sites of the Reformation
Thuringia
Cultural heritage: Town/Site
Panorama Museum
Am Schlachtberg 9
D-06567 Bad Frankenhausen
Contact details
Gerd Lindner,
Director of the Panorama Museum,
Silke Krage, Public Relations
Am Schlachtberg 9
D-06567 Bad Frankenhausen
Tel.: 0049-3467-61920
Hist./Europ. importance of the town/site in relation to the Reformation (Reformer, event)
The Schlachtberg (‘Battle Hill’) on which the Panorama Museum now stands was the
scene of a bloody religious clash in the wake of the Reformation: one of the last great
conflicts of the German Peasants’ War was fought out here in 1525. Thomas Müntzer
was the spiritual leader of the Mühlhausen contingent, which provided support for the
Frankenhausen camp during the battle. A powerfully eloquent preacher who believed
that the end of the world was at hand, Müntzer worked as a field chaplain and spiritual
leader. Martin Luther’s former associate, a ‘destroyer of the godless’, incited a battle
against the authorities in order to build a Kingdom of God for the elect. The uprising was
crushed when the prince’s allied forces unleashed their artillery. The events of the
Peasants’ War demonstrate clearly that social peace was under threat in the country.
The growth of the state church in Thuringia in particular was overshadowed by these
events. The Panorama Museum addresses the subject, not least by means of Werner
Tübke’s panoramic painting, ‘Early bourgeois revolution in Germany’, which documents
in particular how the history of the Reformation was interpreted by the SED leadership in
the former GDR. After the anniversary of the Reformation in 1967 had naturally turned
the spotlight on the Reformation and Martin Luther, East German historiographers turned
their attention in the early 1970s to Thomas Müntzer and the Peasants’ War, as the
latter’s anniversary in 1975 approached. The idea of creating a panorama on the
Schlachtberg near Bad Frankenhausen, the scene of the last decisive battle of the
central German Peasants’ War in 1525, was mooted in the autumn of 1971 by the SED
leadership of what was then the administrative district of Halle.
The Panorama Museum – opened between 1983 and 1987 – has been recorded in the
Blue Book of the Federal Government as a cultural memorial site of particular national
importance. The list comprises twenty institutions in the new federal states.
What it has to offer culturally, academically or for tourists (exhibitions, publications, etc.)
The panoramic painting, completed between 1983 and 1987, would be impressive even
just for its size alone: 14 metres high and 123 metres long. With more than 3,000
individual figures, the artwork is one of the largest and most highly populated paintings of
recent art history. The monumental work, which was commissioned by the state to depict
the epochal turning-point represented by the Peasants’ War, triggered an iconographic
controversy which has continued to the present day, and invited critical examination.
Many aspects of the massive transformation which occurred in the early 16 th century are
depicted. A wealth of details can be ascribed to the Peasants’ War, but the Reformation,
humanism and popular belief also find expression. The painting reflects the time it
represents from the subjective view of an artist. Historical images, such as contemporary
38
single-leaf woodcuts, pamphlets, paintings and graphics, were clearly consulted by the
artist.
Exhibitions in previous years have already addressed aspects of the painting which
reference the Reformation. The Panorama Museum is planning to mark the ‘Luther 2017’
Luther Decade in 2016 by staging an exhibition entitled, ‘The three godless painters of
Nuremberg’. The museum will also celebrate the Decade through its involvement in
trade fairs and presentations. Another essential contribution will be its special exhibitions
featuring a) themes of interest to art historians, and b) contemporary figurative art which
makes a powerfully metaphorical statement.
39