We stayed one day in the city of Wittenberg and took a walk along the main street of the city to see the memorials of Luther and Melanchthon, the town church, Luther's house, Melanchthon's house, and the castle church.
Wittenberg is now a medium-sized city with 45,000 inhabitants. Situated at the crossing of the river Elbe on an important north-south route it is strategically and economically important. The first mentions date back to the turn of the first millennium after Christ. It received national and international prominence for historical reasons: at the end of the 15th century the Elector Frederick the Wise moved his residence to Wittenberg, began building a castle to protect the crossing of the river Elbe and founded the University of Wittenberg in 1502. In 1512 Martin Luther became a resident professor at that university and with his teaching triggered the Reformation that changed world history. At the beginning of that time, Wittenberg had about two thousand inhabitants and most of the houses were made of mud with thatched roofs.
The city church was the main place of the preacher Martin Luther. His preaching was a very important and eloquent way to sow his thoughts and positions.
Martin Luther's house is the place that presents his history and life with the exhibition of many artifacts. Martin Luther was born in 1483 in Eisleben. He was a monk and professor of theology when he became troubled by the aggressive selling of indulgences that were supposed to lessen the punishment in purgatory before souls ascended to heaven. To discuss the matter with scholars he published on the 31st of October 1517 the 95 theses on the official city wall which was the door of the castle church. A few months later, in the spring of 1518, his theological positions changed drastically - and rapidly - from the reading of biblical texts and their interpretation, especially from the Pauline letters. Its central theological position: the human being is justified and freely saved by God through the work of Jesus. Good works are fruits of the Holy Spirit, but they do not collaborate with salvation. From this position he became increasingly critical of the hierarchy, theology, and spirituality of the Catholic institution. On December 10, 1520, Luther burned the bull that threatened him with excommunication. The set of these events triggered the Lutheran Reformation and the emergence of the Lutheran institution. Luther's work and his translation of the Bible into the German language changed the course of theological, political, cultural, educational, and social history of Europe and the spiritual life of Christianity. Luther's person is like any other person full of light and shadows. His position towards the peasants during their revolt and his position towards the Jews at the end of his life are part of the shadows. He died in Eisleben in the year 1546.
Melanchthon's house is the place to meet one of Martin Luther's closest friends. Melanchthon was born in 1497 and became professor of Greek at the University of Wittenberg in the year 1518 and an intimate friend of Luther. Melanchthon belonged to the humanism movement and was a very learned person. He studied and contributed to various fields of science of his day and reformed scholarship at the University of Wittenberg. His large and diverse work influenced Europe and marked Protestantism to a great extent.
The castle church is where Luther published his 95 theses. Today they are carved on the main door, made of bronze, of the church.
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