Saxony Motherland of Reformation...Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the...
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Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-1-____ Saxony – Motherland of Reformation Saxony is a hotspot for travellers from all over the world. It ranks among the richest and most versatile cultural landscapes in Europe. When Germany celebrates the 500th anniversary of the Reformation this year, Saxony plays its part with the largest fund of artworks from that period. Dear editors, when Martin Luther was born on 10 November 1483, Saxony was at the height of its power. Elector Ernest and his brother Albert had governed the most powerful country in the heart of the German Empire since 1464. But it was only two years after Luther’s birth that Ernest and Albert made the biggest mistake in Saxon history: they split up the country and the ruling family of the Wettins fell apart. Two lines developed henceforth. The Ernestines and the Al- bertines. For a time there were two countries by the name of Saxony, the electorate and the duchy. And it was the sons of Ernest and Albert that were to play the most important yet dif- ferent roles in the life of Martin Luther and in the progression of the Reformation. While the ducal Albertines made Dresden their new residence, Torgau became the centre of power un- der the electoral Ernestines. After the Albertines had deprived the Ernestines of their electoral dignity one year after Mar- tin Luther’s death, their part of Saxony, which by then had significantly grown and also com- prised Torgau as “foster mother of the Reformation” and Wittenberg as the "Mother of Refor- mation", had the leading role among the Protestant regions of Germany for a long time and made for the consolidation and advancement of the Reformation. Already by the end of the 16th century, Saxony was given the honorary title “Motherland of Reformation”. On the occasion of the anniversary of the posting of Luther’s theses, the first Day of Reformation was celebrated in Saxony in 1617. Today’s federal state of Saxony also acknowledges the legacy of the Reformation and celebrates its most important events. In this special edition of the Tourism News we have gathered the most important facts re- garding the main subjects, e.g. “Saxony – Motherland of Reformation”, “Luther Trail in Sax- ony”, “Reformation and Art”, “Melody of Reformation”, the “Catholic side of Reformation” and other highlights during the anniversary year of the Reformation as well as culinary and travel offers for you. You may use this comprising background material as current guide with the most important events in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Saxony. Pictures can be downloaded from the picture library at our website under the heading “Refor- mation”. You will find further suggestions and the complete event schedule at www.sachsen- tourismus.de/reisethemen/kunst-kultur/mutterland-der-reformation/. Please contact us in case of questions regarding interview partners, individual on-site re- search and further materials. Ines Nebelung Dorothea Schäffler Head of Press and Public Relations Project Manager “Luther 2017”
Transcript of Saxony Motherland of Reformation...Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the...
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-1-____
Saxony – Motherland of Reformation Saxony is a hotspot for travellers from all over the world. It ranks among the richest and most versatile cultural landscapes in Europe. When Germany celebrates the 500th anniversary of the Reformation this year, Saxony plays its part with the largest fund of artworks from that period. Dear editors, when Martin Luther was born on 10 November 1483, Saxony was at the height of its power. Elector Ernest and his brother Albert had governed the most powerful country in the heart of the German Empire since 1464. But it was only two years after Luther’s birth that Ernest and Albert made the biggest mistake in Saxon history: they split up the country and the ruling family of the Wettins fell apart. Two lines developed henceforth. The Ernestines and the Al-bertines. For a time there were two countries by the name of Saxony, the electorate and the duchy. And it was the sons of Ernest and Albert that were to play the most important yet dif-ferent roles in the life of Martin Luther and in the progression of the Reformation. While the ducal Albertines made Dresden their new residence, Torgau became the centre of power un-der the electoral Ernestines. After the Albertines had deprived the Ernestines of their electoral dignity one year after Mar-tin Luther’s death, their part of Saxony, which by then had significantly grown and also com-prised Torgau as “foster mother of the Reformation” and Wittenberg as the "Mother of Refor-mation", had the leading role among the Protestant regions of Germany for a long time and made for the consolidation and advancement of the Reformation. Already by the end of the 16th century, Saxony was given the honorary title “Motherland of Reformation”. On the occasion of the anniversary of the posting of Luther’s theses, the first Day of Reformation was celebrated in Saxony in 1617. Today’s federal state of Saxony also acknowledges the legacy of the Reformation and celebrates its most important events. In this special edition of the Tourism News we have gathered the most important facts re-garding the main subjects, e.g. “Saxony – Motherland of Reformation”, “Luther Trail in Sax-ony”, “Reformation and Art”, “Melody of Reformation”, the “Catholic side of Reformation” and other highlights during the anniversary year of the Reformation as well as culinary and travel offers for you. You may use this comprising background material as current guide with the most important events in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Saxony. Pictures can be downloaded from the picture library at our website under the heading “Refor-mation”. You will find further suggestions and the complete event schedule at www.sachsen-tourismus.de/reisethemen/kunst-kultur/mutterland-der-reformation/. Please contact us in case of questions regarding interview partners, individual on-site re-search and further materials. Ines Nebelung Dorothea Schäffler Head of Press and Public Relations Project Manager “Luther 2017”
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-2-____
Table of Contents The Luther Trail in Saxony page 3 Reformation and Art page 5 Event Highlights page 10 The Melody of Reformation page 11 Event Highlights page 12 The Catholic Side of Reformation page 17 Event Highlights page 18 Further Interesting Events and Projects page 21 The Culinary Side of the Reformation page 25 Luther-related Group Travels in Saxony page 28 Guided City Tours “On the Trail of Reformation“ page 33 Information Brochures page 34 Legal Notice
Publisher: TMGS Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH,
Bautzner Str. 45 / 47, Press Office 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-4917025, Fax: +49 (0) 351-4969306, [email protected], www.sachsen-tourismus.de
Editorial Office: Ines Nebelung, Wolfgang Gärtner, Dorothea Schäffler Photo cover page: Frank Exß Submission deadline: 20 February 2017
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-3-____
Time for Something Special – the Luther Trail in Saxony Travelling from Wittenberg to Leipzig by train will take you about 30 minutes today. In Martin Luther’s time, this journey was far more difficult. As the reformer had to put up with big de-tours from time to time in order to avoid the Albertine territory, he left lasting marks in many places. The most important stations and significant domains of his fellow campaigners are connected by the Luther Trail today. On the 500km-long Saxon part of the trail travellers will not only encounter living history but explore scenically charming regions as well. The spiritual hiking trail leads you past churches, castles and palaces through the castle and heathland. Among the 27 stations there are towns where the Reformation once spread quickly. Other places are closely connected to the strong women of those times. In Rochlitz and Kriebstein, one can visit the places of work of Elisabeth of Hessia who enabled the introduction of Prot-estantism in her territory with her decisive acts. When the story of the Reformation is told, obviously Torgau is of vital importance. When planning our route, the former residential town of the Saxon electors should definitely be in-cluded. The castle church that was consecrated by Martin Luther in 1544 is especially worth seeing. It is considered to be the first newly-built Protestant church that served as model for many other churches. The memory of the eventful life of Katharina von Bora is kept alive in Torgau. Her last dwelling is the only memorial place for the woman whose life story still im-presses so many people today. While the Luther Trail is mostly quite serene, it becomes a pulsating lifeline in Leipzig. This trade fair town became especially important to Protestants because of the Debate that took place here. At Pleißenburg Castle, the current guildhall, the reformers engaged in the famous disputation with the Catholic clergyman Johannes Eck in 1519, which led to the final schism of the church. As spiritual hiking route the Luther Trail is all but superficial. Even today, most of the loca-tions cannot be reached by train. Yet it is still worth the while to visit the historic sites like the ruin of the Nimbschen convent near Grimma. Katharina von Bora had lived here for many years before meeting Martin Luther. Impressed by the Protestant idea, she fled the Cister-cian convent in 1523 together with other nuns. Not far from Grimma lies the town of Leisnig where the reformer himself made history once more. Together with the citizens he developed the world’s oldest social paper in 1523. In this document – a copy of which is exhibited at the entrance of the parish church today – they determined that the earnings of the church should henceforth be collected and used for expenses of the parish. Those looking for a good reason to make a stop in Borna as well, will find not one but three good reasons. Since 2011, a life-sized sculpture of Martin Luther in the shape of “Knight George” has been watching over the town centre. With all its different elements it turns out to be a multi-faceted monument that is worth a closer look. As his travels often took Luther into this small town, his ideas consequently spreading fast, Borna became the first place in the Electorate of Saxony where reformatory preaching was practised. An exhibition in the munici-pal museum presents interesting facts from this period. Visitors to Borna should not miss the sight with the most eventful history: the Emmauskirche church. The church had already been erected in the 13th century – but it wasn’t moved to its current location until 2007. When sev-eral towns south of Leipzig had to make way for opencast mining, the Heuersdorf Em-mauskirche church was transported 12 km to Borna with a special truck thus creating a me-dia sensation. When Martin Luther travelled from Wittenberg to Leipzig, he generally came through Löbnitz. And art enthusiasts should do the same. Because in the Protestant town church (already mentioned in 1185 as brick basilica) they can marvel at the biggest picture ceiling in Ger-many. The attentive observer can discover 250 panels with floral and biblical motifs. But the
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other 27 stations of the Luther Trail have authentic venues of the Reformation to offer as well. Thus, the route enriches all those who are willing to take some time to feel out history. If Luther had undertaken his travels in an express train, this decelerated encounter with the Reformation period would not be possible. For further information on the Saxon Luther Trail and all locations please refer to www.lutherweg-sachsen.de. Contact: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen, Press Office: Ines Nebelung, Bautzner Straße 45/47, 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: + 49 (0) 351-4917025, [email protected], www.sachsen-tourismus.de
Reopening of the museum “Katharina-Luther-Stube” 1 April 2017 Torgau. Luther and his wife were quite familiar with Torgau. Since the Saxon electors who protected Luther and promoted his ideas resided on Schloss Hartenfels Castle, the Reformer visited the city many times. In 1523, after her famous flight from the convent Marienthron near Grimma his wife to-be Katharina stayed in Torgau for a while before travelling on to Wit-tenberg. In autumn of 1552, already a widow, she fled from the plague in Wittenberg and had an accident near Torgau in the course of which she broke her pelvic bone. The mainly origi-nally preserved house in the city centre of Torgau where she died three weeks later now houses the museum “Katharina-Luther-Stube”. On the occasion of the Reformation anniver-sary it has been redesigned. It illustrates the work of Luther’s wife, divided in five main stages of life, as well as her reception through the ages. Contact: Stadt- und Kulturgeschichtliches Museum Torgau, Wintergrüne 5, 04860 Torgau, Tel.: +49 (0) 3421-7033712, [email protected], www.museum-torgau.de
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Sacral art in abundance – thanks to and notwithstanding the Reformation Whoever examines the “Fürstenzug” in Dresden, a mural depicting the procession of the Saxon rulers from the House of Wettin, generally pauses at the portrait of Augustus the Strong. The other rulers are mostly disregarded. Thus, only few tourists will give full attention to the first Augustus, an earlier Elector of Saxony. A pity, because not only did he pursue a smart policy of reconciliation during the unstable years after the Reformation, he also helped Saxony reach economic, scientific and cultural prime. By establishing an art chamber in the Royal palace, Augustus furthermore laid the cornerstone for the Dresden State Art Collec-tions. Today, they own the biggest collection of pieces from the time of Reformation. While symbolic exhibits like Martin Luther’s signet ring and goblet are exhibited in the Green Vault, the “Old Masters” Gallery is rich in significant paintings from the 16th century. Masterpieces like Raphael’s “Sistine Madonna” attract art enthusiasts from all over the world. In the anniversary year of the Reformation, the so-called “Katharinenaltar” is at the centre of interest of the numerous visitors to the gallery. Its artist, Lucas Cranach the Elder, was called to Wittenberg as court painter in 1505. There he became famous for his portraits of the Saxon electors and reformers. A very close connection developed between the painter and Martin Luther. Thus, Lucas Cranach the Elder illustrated the first Protestant pamphlet in 1519. Later on he even was witness to the marriage of the reformer. With his depictions he shaped the picture we have of Luther today. His denomination to Protestantism notwithstand-ing, Lucas Cranach the Elder also worked for Catholic clients, as was customary in those times. Thus, his legacy gives a comprising overview of the years of the Reformation. The largest number of works from the Cranach workshop can be found in the Dresden State Art Collections. Diverse exhibits, diverse stories With the opening of another Renaissance wing at the Royal palace on Easter 2017, another facet of the Reformation will be displayed that has barely attracted interest so far. In the new museum rooms, visitors gain insights into the world of the Saxon rulers from the 16th and early 17th century. Exhibits like magnificent gowns or ceremonial weapons richly ornamented with motifs from the Reformation tell the story from the point of view of the rich and mighty. And in Leipzig, one of the centres of Reformation, numerous exhibits tell of the historic events as well. At the Museum of Municipal History, the silver Luther goblet and the original wedding ring of Katharina von Bora can be admired. Aside from the paintings and epitaphs by Lucas Cranach the Elder, they are the central pieces of the exhibition “Luther im Disput. Leipzig und die Folgen” (“Luther in Debate. Leipzig and the Consequences.”), which is open to visitors from 12/04/2017 until 28/01/2018. Authentic exhibition locations Is there a more appropriate place to admire Reformation art than a church? In Saxony, more than one church houses real treasures. Often, they are located far from the big towns – like the late Gothic church St. Wolfgang in Schneeberg. The first monumental Reformation altar-piece can be found here. It is considered to be one of the most comprising works from the Cranach workshop. The design implies that Martin Luther must have been present during its creation, because the choice and order of the images fully correspond with the ideas of the Reformation. During its inauguration in 1539, this impressive artwork was set up at the church as convertible altar-piece with double-winged doors, and it could be altered depending on the occasion. There was a design for weekdays, Sundays and a reverted design, each of which showed another
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aspect from the bible. It is quite a miracle that it can be shown in this state again today. Com-mitted people defended it furiously time and again over the centuries so that it survived i.e. a robbery during the Thirty Years’ War, the most devastating fire in the town’s history and the bombardment of Schneeberg in April 1945. That is why it is quite remarkable that the re-stored altar has been adorning the church again in its original form since 1996. Also the idyllic, small Saxon town of Augustusburg is not really a place where you would ex-pect to find a masterpiece of Reformation art. But experts know: In the church of the Renais-sance-style Augustusburg Castle there is one of the most remarkable altarpieces from the Reformation period to be found. It was created by Lucas Cranach the Younger, son of the former Wittenberg court painter, and depicts the family of Elector Augustus and their Protestant understanding of faith. The reformer as protector of Catholic art Especially in South Germany and Switzerland, supporters of the Reformation destroyed nu-merous Catholic paintings, sculptures and church windows in the 16th century. This wave of destruction went down in history as the “Bildersturm” (iconoclasm). It is thanks to Luther’s foresight that precious Catholic artworks have been preserved until today. As most people were not able to read or write in the 16th century, their only access to the bible consisted in sacral depictions. The reformer was aware of the great importance of these artworks. That is why he took a stand for their preservation. The reformers even spared the magnificent St Anne’s Church in Annaberg-Buchholz, despite the fact that it had been commissioned by one of Luther’s most famous opponents, George the Bearded. It is considered to be one of the most significant church buildings from late Gothic times and still fascinates its visitors, especially with its impressive vault and the skil-fully designed “Bergaltar”. The 100 relief panels that adorn the gallery parapets are particu-larly noteworthy. Aside from a picture bible with scenes from the Old and New Testament they each contain ten depictions of men and women in different stages of life. An animal symbolises the character traits of these people in accordance with the corresponding age. But it is the task of the observer to figure out how exactly the appearance of a lion or a bat should be interpreted. In Zittau in East Saxony, another showpiece of Catholic church art was protected from the destructive frenzy of Protestant zealots: the Great Lenten Veil. Before the Reformation it was customary to veil the altar with tastefully ornamented linens during Lent. In the course of the iconoclasm, these were destroyed almost without exception. But the Great Zittau Lenten Veil, which was painted in 1472, survived the turmoil of the time of Reformation. Thus, stories from the Old and New Testament can still be admired on 56 square metres today. Special dimensions require special measures: Due to its size the Lenten veil is stored in the biggest museum display case of the world at the museum “Kirche zum Heiligen Kreuz” (Church of the Holy Cross). From an art-historical point of view, the Small Lenten Veil (also exhibited in Zittau) is even more significant. Because there are only six specimen of the Arma Christi-type left. In Ger-many it is the only one of its kind. Today, the 15 sq.m. veil that has covered the altar at the Zittau Johanniskirche Church since 1573 is presented in the former Franciscan monastery. But it is not only its design that makes it so special. The date of its creation, after the Refor-mation, makes the Small Zittau Lenten Veil unique. It is the only Lenten veil to be commis-sioned by a Protestant parish. This art-historical treasure is a mediator between Catholic tra-dition and advanced Protestantism demonstrating in an impressive way how religious toler-ance was practised in Upper Lusatia.
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A unique specimen in Zittau, superlatives in Dresden, a miracle in Schneeberg: This abun-dance in sacral artworks proves that Saxony can be seen as a huge gallery – with “exhibition rooms” stretching from Upper Lusatia into the Ore Mountains. Contact: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH, Dorothea Schäffler, Bautzner Straße 45/47, 01099 Dresden, Tel: +49 (0)351-4917015, Fax: +49 (0)351-4969306, [email protected], www.visitsaxony.com
Event Highlights “Reformation and Art” “Lucas Cranach and the Subjects of the Reformation” Until 31 December 2017, Leipzig Museum of Fine Arts Leipzig. With 18 paintings, ten drawings and 59 prints, the Leipzig Museum of Fine Arts owns an extremely impressive stock of Cranach artworks that illustrates the distinctive range of commissioners from the time of Reformation. Visitors to the museum with a knowledge of the work of the Cranachs will spot subjects and themes of the Reformation, its persistence and its transformation. The exhibition “Lucas Cranach und die Motive der Reformation” (Lu-cas Cranach and the subjects of the Reformation) illustrates this quite clearly. It can be seen until 31 December. Lucas Cranach the Elder, born in Kronach/Upper Franconia around 1472 and deceased in Weimar in 1553, and his son Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515 – 1586) rank among the most important artists from the period of Reformation and the German Renaissance. With great success Cranach the Elder founded a studio business in Wittenberg and Weimar, which accomplished important commissions for the Saxon dynasty, for reformers like Martin Luther but also for Catholic dignitaries. Contact: Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig, Katharinenstraße 10, 04109 Leipzig, Ger-many, Tel: + 49 (0) 341-216 99 0, [email protected], www.mdbk.de
New Permanent Exhibitions by the Armoury at the Dresden Palace Starting 08 April 2017, Dresden Royal Palace Dresden. When Elector Augustus established the "Kunstkammer" (art chamber) in 1560 he laid the foundations for the world-famous Dresden State Art Collections. By opening another part of the Renaissance wing at the Dresden Royal Palace with the electoral wardrobe on 8 April, the palaces’ largest exhibition area so far will be completed. The new rooms allow a unique insight into the world of the Saxon sovereigns of the 16th and 17th century, who played a crucial role in the success of the Reformation. They show the most beautiful Re-naissance collections of the Armoury – ceremonial weapons with Protestant professions of faith, portraits of princes and ceremonial robes that belonged to the Saxon electors. The for-mer Albertine residence displays the world-wide most comprising collection of ceremonial weapons, precious items and other objects from the Renaissance period and the times of Reformation. The electoral wardrobe invites the visitors to enjoy a historic fashion show. The mere fact that the robes of the Saxon rulers and their wives have been preserved for more than five centuries is most impressive and unique. Four rooms burst with sensual pomp that includes rich fabrics, embroideries, lace and passements of gold, silver and silk. In turns the visitors
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can admire 27 ruler outfits – six complete costume ensembles, eleven attires with doublet and trousers, four dresses and six single outer garment pieces. The Dresden Royal Palace itself is an authentic place of Reformation history. It was built by Elector Maurice in superb Renaissance shapes as the new centre of the Protestant world af-ter he had deprived his Ernestine cousin of his elector’s dignity during the battle at Mühlberg. Maurice also built the castle chapel, one of the first Protestant church buildings, the portal of which depicts the profession of faith of the former Saxon rulers. Contact: Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Presse und Kommunikation, Residenz-schloss, Taschenberg 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-49142643, [email protected], www.skd.museum
Special Exhibition “Luther & das Geheimnis des Cranach-Altars” (Luther and the secret of the Cranach altarpiece) 29 to 05 November 2017, Schloss Augustusburg Castle Augustusburg. It’s the year 1526. The Reformation is still at an early stage when Augustus of Saxony, the elector to be after whom Schloss Augustusburg Castle was named, is born in Freiberg. In 1553, upon the death of his older brother Maurice, he is crowned territorial ruler. Two years later, Augustus is among the Protestant leaders at the Diet of Augsburg where the Peace of Augsburg is made and the coexistence of Protestant and Catholic Christians is en-sured. He ended all religious and political conflicts and lead Saxony back to prosperity. Hav-ing done so he could afford to build a superb castle compound in Renaissance style on a ta-per of quartz porphyry in the Ore Mountains in 1568 that was named after him. The 56,000 square metre complex also encloses a chapel. Until today, it houses a precious altarpiece with a painting by Lucas Cranach the Younger. It depicts Augustus and his family as professing Protestants and grants deep insights into the epoch of the Reformation. The image is also unique in historico-cultural terms as it is the only preserved effigy of the elec-toral family. And as a invaluable time record it provides information on this epoch e.g. regard-ing image language, clothing, attitude and religious statements. The chapel, consecrated in 1572 as the first Protestant castle church in Central Germany, forms the backdrop for the special exhibition “Luther & das Geheimnis des Cranach-Altars” (Luther and the secret of the Cranach altarpiece) from 29 April until 5 November. Contact: Augustusburg/Scharfenstein/Lichtenwalde Schlossbetriebe gGmbH, 09573 Au-gustusburg, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 37291-38017, [email protected], www.die-sehenswerten-drei.de
“Torgau – Residence of Renaissance and Reformation” 19 May until 31 October 2017, Schloss Hartenfels Castle Torgau Torgau. As residence of the Saxon electors from the line of the Ernestines Torgau was the political centre of the Reformation. Although the town became less important after the elec-toral dignity had been transferred to the Albertines, it still remained of religious and political importance as the side residence of Reformation. In preparation for the Reformation anniver-sary the Dresden State Art Collections have been staging annual special exhibitions at Schloss Hartenfels Castle since 2012, among them the first national special exhibition “Lu-ther und die Fürsten” (Luther and the princes) in 2015.
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-9-____
As part of this series, from 19 May until 31 October, the special exhibition “Torgau – Resi-denz der Renaissance und Reformation” deals with Torgau as residence thus summarizing the other special exhibitions. It displays chosen showpieces from the Dresden Armoury. Moreover, it addresses Torgau as centre of the art of goldsmithing, e.g. the “Torgauer Apotheke”, an Indian nacre chest in the setting and décor of a Torgau goldsmith. Contact: Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Presse und Kommunikation, Residenz-schloss, Taschenberg 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-49142621, [email protected], www.skd.museum
“Different Approach. Reformation in Upper Lusatia.” 30 July 2017 until 7 January 2018, Monastery Church Zittau Zittau. How did the Zittau townspeople experience the century of the Reformation? What did they believe in? How did they see the world? Numerous preserved epitaphs from the churches in Zittau provide surprisingly versatile answers to these questions. One of Zittau’s special features is the exceedingly rich and recently restored collection of epi-taphs from the 16th century for citizens from different classes. They grant an impressive view of life in the age of Reformation. Being created for a single person or a whole family, they de-pict the faith and hopes of the people from the 16th and early 17th century in an intimate and touching manner. The treasure of epitaphs is presented in the church of the Franciscan mon-astery that has been restored for this occasion. These distinguished artworks are embedded in the presentation of the multifaceted and ex-traordinary history of Reformation in Upper Lusatia. Aside from the towns that mostly joined the Reformation early on, nearby Catholic monasteries continued to exist, like the Cistercian convents St. Marienthal in Ostritz and St. Marienstern in Panschwitz-Kuckau. They were closely connected in their economic development. And they shared another similarity: the ambitious equipment of the churches. Later on, the confessional diversity of Upper Lusatia was further enriched by Bohemian ex-iled Protestants and the Herrnhut Brethren (Moravian Church). The fact that the great medie-val Lenten Veil was kept in use in Zittau until the early 17th century (long after the introduc-tion of the Reformation) – something that Luther considered to be utterly improper – and a new one was even ordered in 1573 may seem surprising today. Still, it is just another evi-dence of the numerous unusual developments during the time of Reformation. On the occasion of the Reformation anniversary the Great Lenten Veil in the Kreuzkirche church and the Zittau Main Church St. Johannis will form an ensemble together with the epi-taph treasure in the monastery church that is sure to attract numerous visitors. Contact: Städtische Museen Zittau, Klosterstraße 3, 02763 Zittau, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 3583-554790, [email protected], www.museum-zittau.de, www.zittauer-fastentue-cher.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-10-____
New Permanent Exhibition “Steadfast. Religious. Hard-drinking. John Freder-ick the Magnanimous – the last Ernestine elector.” Starting 10 September 2017, Schloss Hartenfels Castle Torgau Torgau. On 10 September a permanent exhibition will open its doors for the first time in the electoral chambers and the legendary tower of Schloss Hartenfels Castle: The modern exhi-bition “Standfest. Bibelfest. Trinkfest. Johann Friedrich der Großmütige – der letzte Ern-estiner Kurfürst.” will focus on the importance of Torgau as the Reformation’s centre of power and as a place of courtly and architectural representation of European renown. In a compris-ing, multimedia-supported presentation it examines this authentic location in its extraordinary historic dimension. Elector John Frederick the Magnanimous and his wife Sibylle von Cleve will be at the center of the presentation. Between 1533 and 1547 the last Ernestine elector mainly resided in Tor-gau. He is known as the leading worldly trailblazer of Martin Luther’s doctrine in his time. Schloss Hartenfels Castle in Torgau became a magnificent residence under Elector Freder-ick the Wise and his successors. The castle church is the first new Protestant church building and was consecrated by Martin Luther himself in 1544. The builder was John Frederick the Magnanimous who also built the famous “Große Wendelstein”, the “incredible staircase” that has just recently been restored to its old colourful splendour. He was a nephew of Frederick the Wise and the last Saxon elector from the line of the Ernestines. Further information at: Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen, Stauffenbergallee 2a | 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-56391-1312 [email protected], www.schloesserland-sachsen.de
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The Melody of the Reformation A nightingale knows up to 260 verse types. Thus, the songbird is not only famous for its tal-ent but also for its comprising repertoire. These two attributes explain why Martin Luther was already known as “nightingale of Wittenberg” during his lifetime. The reformer used his musi-cality to write numerous church songs thus creating a fund for eternity. It is thanks to his po-etry and melodies that singing plays an important role in Protestant church culture until to-day. Luther always considered music to be a crucial element of faith. That is why he declared it to be the “gift of God that drives away the devil and makes man happy”. Since church songs played a decisive role in the spreading of religious concerns, music was far more than just mere enjoyment during the time of Reformation. In Saxony, this symbiosis cannot only be found at historical sites. The melodious heritage is still an inherent part of today's vibrating cultural landscape. Martin Luther – Source of inspiration for highly gifted musicians None other than Johann Sebastian Bach himself helped Protestant church music reach its heyday. The grandmaster of Baroque regarded himself as a devoted Lutheran and dedicated himself to the poetry of the reformer. In transforming it into polyphonic choir pieces, chorales and organ plays, Bach provided the Reformation with a diverse melody. The artist’s life and work are presented to posterity in Leipzig, the musical landscape of which he had shaped for 27 years. For instance, history enthusiasts can explore the Leipzig Bach Museum and St Thomas Church on a tour along the Leipzig Music Trail (“Notenspur”). Another must-do is a visit to the Grassi Museum for musical instruments where numerous exhibits from the Ba-roque era can be seen. Although Bach was already appreciated during his lifetime, if mainly as an organ expert and virtuoso player,it was not before the 19th century that his work reached a new dimension of acknowledgement. In big parts this is owed to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy who also worked in Leipzig and was deeply inspired by the works of the Baroque master. Merely a child, the musician converted to Protestantism expressing his deep religiousness in numerous compo-sitions. Bartholdy’s last dwelling, where the romanticist also completed his oratory “Elias”, is now one of the cultural centres of Leipzig and presents an exhibition on the life and work of the exceptional artist. Strong-voiced heirs of Reformation For centuries, not one but two Saxon boys’ choirs have been known to be “especially worth hearing”: the St Thomas Boys Choir (“Thomanerchor”) in Leipzig and the Holy Cross Boys Choir (“Kreuzchor”) in Dresden. Both share an exceptional sound and above all the task to maintain the Protestant treasury of songs. That is why the works of Johann Sebastian Bach can be enjoyed on a regular basis during motets and concerts of the Thomanerchor. Interest-ingly enough, the singers were also constant companions to Luther. For example, the Thomanerchor performed when the Leipzig Debate was opened with a mass at St Thomas Church in 1519. 20 years later, Luther was accompanied by their high voices when he held his speech at the introduction of the Protestant faith as state religion in the Duchy of Saxony.
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In Dresden, the state capital, the Kreuzchor maintains not only the works of Bach but also the songs by Heinrich Schütz. The “Father of German Music” who worked during the times of the Thirty Years’ War created a new quality of Protestant church music. Every fall, his works come to life again during the Heinrich Schütz Music Festival. Then the Kreuzchor, which turned 800 in 2016, revives the compositions of the first German composer that was appreci-ated all over the world. Cornerstone for a resounding branch of industry Without the Reformation Saxony might not be known as the center of the production of musi-cal instruments today: When heretics were expelled from their homeland after the Peace of Augsburg, religious refugees from Bohemia settled in the Vogtland. Quite a piece of luck for religion. Because among the refugees there were violin makers who settled in Markneu-kirchen, Klingenthal and Schöneck. With the foundation of the first German guild of musical instrument production in 1677 began the melodious success story of the Vogtland. With more than 1,000 people it is the most sig-nificant location of musical instrument production in Europe today. During exciting show presentations in the workshops, visitors to Markneukirchen can experience how the bodies are manufactured with high precision and love for detail. A visit to the Museum of Musical In-struments is especially recommended. Its approximately 3,000 exhibits show the different facets of this artistic craft. Contact: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH, Dorothea Schäffler, Bautzner Straße 45/47, 01099 Dresden, Tel: +49 (0)351-4917015, Fax: +49 (0)351-4969306 [email protected], www.visitsaxony.com
Event Highlights “The Melody of Reformation” 40th Dresden Music Festival 18 May until 18 June 2017 Dresden. In its 40 years of history, the Dresden music festival has become a significant point of attraction for artists and a diverse audience from all over the world. In its anniversary edi-tion the festival also focuses on the Reformation. Its highlight is the presentation of the silent film “Luther – ein Film der deutschen Reformation” (Luther – a film of German Reformation) with background music by the MDR symphony orchestra. Contact: Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Hauptstraße 21, 01097 Dresden, Tel.: +49 (0) 351-478560, [email protected], www.musikfestspiele.com
Opening of the Spalatin House 21 May 2017 Torgau. Frederick the Wise allegedly protected Martin Luther merely for political reasons and is said to never have met him personally. The closest confidant of the ruler was his court chaplain and confessor Georg Spalatin. He acted as mediator between elector and reformer thus becoming the “helmsman of Reformation”. As reward for his services Spalatin received the house “Im Sack” in Torgau as a gift from Frederick the Wise. It is the only house of over-all 15 priests’ houses that has been preserved until today. And after extensive reconstruction works it is now dedicated to the work of Georg Spalatin. Yet another friend of Luther lived in Torgau: Johann Walter, the “original cantor of the Protestant church”. He published the first
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Protestant choir hymnbook. Together with the musically interested and talented reformer he worked on the “Deutsche Messe” (German Mass) and other songs. Later he founded today’s Saxon State Orchestra in Dresden on behalf of Elector Maurice. With exhibits and musical performances his life is illustrated in the new exhibition as well. Contact: Torgau-Informations-Center, Markt 1, 04860 Torgau, Tel.: +49 (0) 3421-7014-0, [email protected], www.tic-torgau.de Protestant Church Convention in Leipzig 25 until 28 May 2017 Leipzig. On the occasion of the Reformation anniversary the German Protestant Church Convention takes place in Berlin, with a great final service in Wittenberg. Additionally, six fur-ther lay conventions will take place at important Reformation locations. Under the motto “Mu-sic. Debate. Life.” the Protestant Church Convention will be held in Leipzig. It focuses on the town’s resistant spirit and its rich musical tradition. What started with the Leipzig Debate still resounded in Leipzig’s leading role in vanquishing the GDR regime. And Leipzig is also the town of Bach who expressed Luther’s thoughts in texts and music like no other. Approxi-mately 400 events at 100 locations await the visitors. Among the highlights is a performance under the name “Zum Licht” (Towards the light) and a concert with 10,000 brass players at Augustusplatz square. Contact: Reformationsjubiläum 2017 e.V., Neustraße 10 b, 06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Antje Rademacker, Kulturprojekte Kirchentag auf dem Weg Leipzig, Tel.: +49 (0) 3491 6434-846, [email protected], www.r2017.org
Leipzig Bach Festival “Ein schoen new Lied – Music and Reformation” From 09 until 18 June 2017, Leipzig Leipzig. Central Germany’s musical history would have taken a different course without the Reformation and Martin Luther’s love for “Miss Musica”. Just as Johann Sebastian Bach’s oeuvre would have been very different. That is why the Leipzig Bach Festival will focus on Bach’s perception of Luther. Especially the way how Bach dealt with the “schoene newe Lieder”, the hymns by the reformer, is made accessible in many concerts by top-class artists like John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi choir, Thomaner choir and the Freiburg baroque or-chestra. Simultaneously, it is shown how Heinrich Schütz, Johann Rosenmüller and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy dealt with Luther’s legacy. The great composer Johann Sebastian Bach spent the last 27 years of his life in Leipzig and was buried at his main place of work, the Thomaskirche church. Contact: Bachfest Leipzig, Thomaskirchhof 15/16, 04109 Leipzig, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 341-9137-300, [email protected], www.bachfestleipzig.de
Bach and Luther 8 September 2017 until 28 January 2018 Leipzig. The Leipzig Bach Museum is located in the former dwelling house of Bach’s friend, the rich manufacturer Georg Heinrich Bose, next to the former school Thomasschule where Bach lived and taught. The special exhibition on the occasion of the Reformation anniversary
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illustrates the Protestant Thomas cantorate and the importance of Martin Luther’s achieve-ments for the composers. A special role comes to the original handwritings from the famous year of the chorale cantatas 1724/25 and a Luther bible with a handwritten notice of posses-sion by Bach. Contact: Bach-Museum Leipzig, Thomaskirchhof 15/16, 04109 Leipzig, Tel. +49 (0) 341-9137-202, [email protected], www.bachmuseumleipzig.de
2017 – The Year of Luther at the Leipzig Opera Leipzig. From January until June, Charles Gounod’s “Faust” and his seldom performed opera “Cinq-Mars”, a story on the fatal involvement of religion and politics, as well as Uwe Scholz’ legendary choreography “Great Mass” at the Leipzig opera house will frame the fes-tivities on the occasion of the Reformation anniversary. With Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlos” the Leipzig Opera will not only bring a great historical drama on stage in September 2017, it also places an extraordinary emphasis on the year of the Reformation. The tragic main character, interpreted by Gaston Rivero, a pupil of Placido Domingo, reflects the conflict of love, power and politics in a world where the Catholic church is an authority that controls all affairs. In September, the Leipzig Ballet, together with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the choir of the Leipzig Opera, will include its successful production “Lobgesang” (Hymn of Praise) in its programme once more. Mario Schröder combines Mendelssohn’s symphony-cantata, practi-cally a hymn to the accomplishments of the Enlightenment, with Francis Poulenc’s a capella cycle “Figure humaine” that shows humans in the light of the catastrophe that was World War II. The “St John Passion” by the Leipzig Thomas cantor Johann Sebastian Bach is a piece of living Leipzig musical history. All along, directors and choreographers have recognised the high theatricality of this oratorio. In October 2017, the ballet director and head choreographer Mario Schröder shows his interpretation of the work in a choreographic premiere accompa-nied by the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the choir of the Leipzig Opera. Contact: Oper Leipzig, Bettina Auge, Augustusplatz 12, 04109 Leipzig, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 341-2161266, [email protected], www.oper-leipzig.de
Bach Day at the Church of Our Lady 23 September until 07 October 2017, Church of Our Lady in Dresden Dresden. Under the motto re|formation the musical programme 2017 of the Dresden Church of Our Lady will open new perspectives. In the anniversary year of the Reformation, more than 130 offers invite visitors to discover the diversity of works, artists and interpretations. The programme will include approximately 60 concerts, 40 organ evenings, 20 clerical Sun-day and Holiday music events and 12 family and youth offers. They are complimented by two sing-along events and two meetings for singing Advent songs. The annual programme is rich in highlights and will further strengthen the renown of the Dresden Church of Our Lady as im-portant cultural site with charisma in Germany and abroad. The whole programme reflects the great wealth of classical music.
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The year of Luther builds a focal point. Under the title »500 years of Reformation« chosen musical programmes span from Martin Luther until today. Among other things they include two concerts by the Calmus Ensemble i.e. with Luther’s songs in works by Praetorius and Schütz, the performing of the B minor mass by the orchestra of the Church of Our Lady, and a programme with a Dresden repertoire arranged by Ludwig Güttler on the occasion of the Reformation festival. Additionally, the Church of Our Lady will celebrate 3 composers of world-renown in 2017. The great Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi’s 450th birthday i.e. with a Monteverdi even-ing as part of the Dresden Music Festival. The death of Georg Philipp Telemann that will be celebrated for the 250th time in 2017. The 175th anniversary of Luigi Cherubini’s death that will serve as opportunity to complement the concert in memory of the destruction of Dresden with his touching C minor Requiem. The sound of music at the Church of Our Lady will be shaped by the ensembles in 2017 as well. The choir assembled under the direction of the cantor of the Church of Our Lady Mat-thias Grünert, the Kammer choir and the ensemble frauenkirche will perform at more than 20 events (aside from services), from communicative discussion concerts to full-length concerts. The Kammer choir will present the “St John Passion”, the mass in B minor and the Christmas oratorio by Bach as well as Haydn’s Mass in B flat major »Harmoniemesse«, Monteverdi’s »Vespers for the Blessed Virgin« and Mozart’s Requiem. The choir will also perform Haydn’s great organ mass as well as his » Missa Sancti Bernardi von Offida«, Mendelssohn’s »Lob-gesang« (Hymn of Praise) and Mozart’s »Coronation Mass«. In 2017, the selection of composers focuses mainly on Bach. 10 BACHzyklus concerts, sev-eral cantata performances and programmes by the Dresden organ cycle are dedicated to the musical godfather of the Church of Our Lady. Additionally, with three newly conceptualized BACH organ recitals the cantor and organist of the Church of Our Lady invite the visitors to participate in a musical journey through baroque Dresden of 1736. The repertoire features yet another highlight: the organ nights. The chosen concerts of “500 years of Reformation” include: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Symphony No. 5 »Reformation« on 14 October, a concert with the Robert Schumann Phil-harmonic Orchestra Chemnitz on 28 October and the Virtuosi Saxoniae and Ludwig Güttler »A Mighty Fortress Is Our God« with works by Heinrich Schütz, Andreas Hammerschidt, Gio-vanni Gabrieli and Hans Leo Hassler on 30 October at the Dresden Church of Our Lady. And on 24 June the cantata »Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g’mein« will premiere as composi-tion by order of the Dresden foundation of the Church of Our Lady in cooperation with the as-sociation Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Frauenkirche Dresden e.V. On 12 October the Heinrich Schütz Music Festival makes a stop at the church with »Nun lob meine Seele« (Now praise my soul) – the German double choir from the times of Reformation to Heinrich Schütz. Contact: Stiftung Frauenkirche Dresden, Georg-Treu-Platz 3, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-65606-120, [email protected], www.frauenkirche-dresden.de
Schumann and Luther 24 September until 30 December 2017 Zwickau. On the occasion of the Reformation anniversary the Robert Schumann House ex-plores the relation between the Zwickau composer and the great reformer. Schumann’s
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grandfather was a Lutheran priest in Thuringia. In his publishing house “Gebrüder Schu-mann” his father August Schumann published an edition of Martin Luther’s writings as well as engraved illustrations of reformers. Martin Luther was a frequent topic of the musical maga-zine “Neue Zeitschrift für Musik” that was edited by Robert Schumann. In 1851, Schumann even attempted to compose an oratorio on the reformer as drafts presented in the exhibition will show. Schumann’s last composition was the transcription of an obituary chorale by Mar-tin Luther, the original of which will be shown as well. Contact: Robert-Schumann-Haus, Hauptmarkt 5, 08056 Zwickau, Tel.: +49 (0) 375-834401, [email protected], www.schumannzwickau.de
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How Luther almost eliminated Catholicism in Saxony... but only almost! Visitors to Upper Lusatia might get the impression of being in Bavaria when looking at the numerous crosses and wayside crosses near Panschwitz-Kuckau. After all, Germany’s south is way more famous for its connection to Catholicism than Saxony. But this faith has deep roots here as well. Especially in the anniversary year of the Reformation it is worth the while to explore the Catholic side of Saxony. What surfaces is a history partly shaped by consider-able tolerance. At the end of the 16th century, Saxony was given the honorary title “Motherland of Refor-mation”. Martin Luther encountered great support by the Electors of Saxony who helped lev-erage his ideas. Although the byname “Motherland of Reformation” could suggest otherwise, Luther did not exclusively find support but sometimes met severe resistance. For instance, George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony, became a bitter enemy after the Leipzig Debate. In order to strengthen Catholicism, the Duke of Saxony passionately advocated the canonisa-tion of Benno, bishop of Meissen, and fought the spreading of Protestant ideas for the rest of his life. However, he could not stop the wave rolling over the land so that it eventually also got a hold of his duchy. His brother, Prince Henry the Pious introduced the Reformation after George’s death in 1539. Preserving islands of Catholicism in Lusatia Protestantism spread virtually over the whole area of today’s Saxony. But not in Lusatia. As the region was not part of Saxony at the time of Reformation, islands of Catholicism re-mained here. Especially noteworthy is the fact that two Cistercian convents from the 13th century survived these tumultuous times. The convent St. Marienthal in the east Saxon town of Ostritz is still serving its original purpose, as is the convent St. Marienstern in Panschwitz-Kuckau. And in the vicinity of the of Bautzen, Catholic customs are still kept alive by the Sorbs, Saxony’s Slavic minority – much to the delight of the guests who mostly come around Easter to participate in the traditional Easter customs. Also the pilgrimage church in the nearby Rosenthal and the cemetery in Ralbitz are representatives of Catholicism in Lusatia well worth seeing. While the Sorbs living nearby the convent St. Marienstern remained true to their beliefs, the ideas of the Reformation encountered support in wide parts of their settlement area. Thanks to the smart equalisation policy of the Catholic clergyman Johann Leisentritt, progressive so-lutions were found for the gap between the confessions in Lusatia. For example, since 1524, St. Petri Cathedral in Bautzen has been used by Catholics and Protestants alike. It became the first interdenominational church in Germany. Today, only a fence in the middle of the church tells of the borderline between the two parts. An advancement in terms of tolerance considering that once a wall was dividing the believers. New upswing for Catholicism It was thanks to the ambitions of Augustus the Strong that Catholicism in Saxony was re-vived. The Saxon Elector made great efforts to become the king of Poland. Not only did he invest large parts of his wealth in the required bribery but he also converted to the Catholic faith. In order not to anger his people, Augustus the Strong let himself be secretly trained in Catholic rites by his uncle. After converting to Catholicism in 1697, the Elector also waived his right to force the Saxons to a change of faith. Notwithstanding this leniency, he gradually alienated himself from his people. The depiction of Augustus the Strong in the famous “Fürstenzug” or "Procession of Princes" in Dresden shows this quite literally. In it the Luther rose, one of the symbols of the Reformation, is trampled by his horse.
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As a consequence to the electoral change of faith many Catholics came to the Dresden court. Initially, the Holy Mass was held temporarily in the remodelled castle chapel. It was the son of Augustus, King Augustus III, who built the “Hofkirche”, the first Catholic church in Sax-ony following the Reformation in 1739 (known today as Dresden Cathedral). Those who visit the late Baroque building, which looks so glamorous from the outside, will be surprised by its plain interior. One of its highlights is the Silbermann organ that survived World War II without damage and can be heard on a regular basis today. And the crypt below the church is histori-cally relevant as well. Among other things it houses the capsule with the heart of Augustus the Strong. After George the Bearded, the last of the Wettins to be buried in the Meissen ca-thedral, all Catholic members of the house of the Wettins were buried in this house of God. The irony of history: They remained the nominal leaders of the Protestant-Lutheran state church of Saxony until the end of World War I, thus remaining the “guardians of Protestant-ism”. The history of Catholicism in Saxony does not come to an end with the building of the “Hofkir-che”. Another chapter was written in 2015 when the provost church St. Trinitatis was conse-crated in Leipzig. Henceforth, the biggest Catholic church building in East Germany since the reunification has dominated the city centrt. Especially noteworthy is the northern window with 22 m in length and 3 m in width. Depending on the incidence of light, it shows the complete Old and New Testament. The history of Catholicism in Saxony is quite similar to the phenom-enon of this church window in Leipzig. It may seem unremarkable at first, but at a closer glance it becomes quite exciting. Contact: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH, Dorothea Schäffler, Bautzner Straße 45/47, 01099 Dresden, Tel: +49 (0)351-4917015, Fax: +49 (0)351-4969306 [email protected], www.visitsaxony.com
Event Highlights “The Catholic Side of Reformation” “Luther in Debate. Leipzig and the Consequences.” 12 April 2017 until 28 January 2018 at the Leipzig Municipal Museum Leipzig. The town of Leipzig is a place of national renown where Reformation history was written. The Leipzig Debate is inextricably linked to the historic memory of the town and is to receive special appreciation during the anniversary year. The Debate may be firmly estab-lished in the town’s memory, its epochal importance for the development of Martin Luther’s ideology and the further progression of Reformation events on the other hand is hardly known. In a diverse and vivid way the exhibition introduces the visitors to the often complex contents of the Debate while simultaneously revealing the end of the Catholic church as Christian universal church. The place where once stood Pleißenburg Castle, is now the location of the Leipzig guildhall. Breaking his promise to keep silent, which he had made after his hearing at the Diet of Augs-burg, Martin Luther participated in the Leipzig Debate there. During his dispute with Johan-nes Eck he stated the differences of his opinion on the doctrine of the Catholic church and formulated his “Sola Scriptura”, which lead to the (originally not intended) break with the pope and the Albertine duke George the Bearded. In Leipzig, his followers were also referred to as “Lutherans” for the first time. The exhibition at the Leipzig Municipal Museum examines the Leipzig Debate and its conse-quences as the repression of Reformation ideology in Albertine Saxony, the introduction of
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the Reformation in Leipzig following the death of George the Bearded and the further devel-opment up to the Schmalkaldic War. Among the central exhibits are the silver Luther cup, panel paintings, the epitaph of the two Cranachs and the wedding ring of Luther’s wife Katharina. The ring is one of the most famous preserved memorabilia of Luther and his fam-ily. Contact: Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig, Böttchergäßchen 3, 04109 Leipzig, Ger-many, Tel: +49 (0) 341-96513-20, [email protected], www.stadtgeschichtliches-museum-leipzig.de
“A Tresure not Made of Gold. St. Benno of Meissen – Saxony’s first saint”, 12 May until 05 November 2017, Albrechtsburg Castle Meissen Meissen. For the first time, a large-scale exhibition at Albrechtsburg Castle Meissen is dedi-cated to Saxony’s first saint, Benno of Meissen. That is why from 12 May until 05 November 2017 the crosier and mitre of the former bishop of Meissen will return to his place of work. On the occasion of the Reformation anniversary the special exhibition »EIN SCHATZ NICHT VON GOLD. Benno von Meißen – Sachsens erster Heiliger« should be an incentive to ask about the cultural value of saints and their role in today’s society. Many legends surround the life of St. Benno who was the bishop of Meissen from 1066 until 1106, a dynamic and peaceable bishop on the castle hill, which was also his final resting place. For centuries, the story of the first Saxon saint moved many people in Europe, from Saxony and Bavaria to Rome. It is a story of power, faith and politics. A story of Reformation and Counter-Reformation, sacred sites and canonisation. His canonisation in May 1523 was the last to take place during the Middle Ages. In June 1524, Benno’s canonisation was celebrated over several days at the cathedral and Al-brechtsburg Castle Meissen. The canonisation invoked a passionate reaction from Martin Lu-ther. In a polemic paper he stigmatised him as false god or devil thus provoking an odyssey of Benno’s relics and regalia. His tomb at Meissen Cathedral was destroyed in June 1539. After the Reformation his regalia – mitre, crosier and chasuble as well as his remains with a certificate of authenticity – travelled first to Stolpen and Wurzen until they finally arrived at the Munich Church of Our Lady. In 1576, they were handed over to duke Albrecht V. of Bavaria. Thus, as if by miracle, a Saxon bishop became the patron saint of the city of Munich and of the state of Bavaria. St. Benno is still worshipped today – parish churches, schools and pub-lishing houses all over Germany are named after him. In the form of donated regalia and preserved artworks made in his honour the saint now re-turns to Saxony to his historic place of work in Meissen during the year of Luther. In a special exhibition at the authentic venue architecture, literature, songs and spiritual precious objects tell of the »treasure not made of gold«. 1,000 years of history are covered on approximately 400 sq m. The exhibition works with the aura of the original. Extraordinary objects that are closely linked to St. Benno are combined in order to paint a very real picture: sculptures, paintings, clergy robes and superb handwritings, the crosier and mitre of the bishop as well as the large-scale altarpiece from the St. Benno chapel in Rome. Innovative media and his-toric objects provide fascinating insights into the immaterial treasures of the church as well as everyday life and the devoutness of those times. They tell an impressive story of glamour, faith and power. A story that also touches younger visitors and non-believers.
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Contact: Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen, Stauffenbergallee 2a, 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-56391-1312, [email protected], www.schloesserland-sachsen.de
The Görlitz Peterskirche Church and the Holy Sepulchre – Stations of the “Via Sacra” Görlitz. A millennium of Central European culture and devoutness comes alive on the “Via Sacra” in the tri-state area. Those who take in the special aura of sacral sites can find peace, sobriety and reflection at these historico-cultural places of tranquillity and majesty. An im-portant station of the Via Sacra is Görlitz where the Reformation had already become widely popular in 1525. With its ensemble of the church St. Peter and Paul, the stations of the cross and the Holy Sepulchre facility this town boasts a legacy of late medieval devoutness and landscape architecture of European renown. St. Peter’s church, where the first Protestant service in town took place on the first Sunday after Easter in the year 1525, is one of the landmarks of Görlitz. For centuries it has been the pride of the town and expression of the living praise of God. The spacious interior is adorned with a magnificent baroque décor highlighted by the famous “Sonnenorgel” (sun organ). It can be heard every Sunday throughout the year during the “Orgel.Punkt 12” at noon and ad-ditionally from April till October every Tuesday and Thursday. During the 45-minutes concert visitors enjoy i.e. the baroque bands that also comprise bird-calls and sounds of the sea. With an overall of six stations, the Stations of the Cross lead away from the Görlitz St. Pe-ter’s church, through the Nikolai suburbs to the garden of the Holy Sepulchre. As in Jerusa-lem, the Görlitz Stations of the Cross count 1000 steps. The Görlitz Procession of the Sta-tions of the Cross, traditionally celebrated by the faithful with devotions and a resurrection celebration on Good Friday, is one of the biggest of its kind in Central Germany. Its destina-tion, the Holy Sepulchre, is considered to be the best preserved, faithful replica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The entire complex, consisting of the double chapel of the Holy Cross, the Salbhaus (anointment chapel) and the burial chapel, can be visited throughout the year, either individually or as part of guided tours. It reminds of the sufferings, death and res-urrection of Jesus Christ. What distinguishes the Görlitz Holy Sepulchre complex from others is the way it was integrated into the landscape, which in its characteristics symbolises Jeru-salem. The elevation north of the burial chapel represents the Mount of Olives with the Gar-den of Gethsemane, the sanctuary and the “Jüngerwiese” (disciples’ meadow). The Lunitz creek that flows through the valley between the Mount of Olives and the Holy Sepulchre sym-bolises Kidron valley. The garden of the Mount of Olives can be visited separately (e.g. via the “Luthersteig”) irrespective of the opening hours of the sepulchre complex. Contact: Europastadt GörlitzZgorzelec, Fleischerstr. 19, 02826 Görlitz, Germany, Tel: +49(0)3581-475743, +49 (0) 3581-475747, [email protected], www.goerlitz.de
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Further Interesting Events and Exciting Projects
Lutherland. Photographies from the World of Faith. 11 March until 5 June 2017 Dresden. Starting in October 2015, the Leipzig photographer Jörg Gläscher began travelling the regions where the Reformation once started as well as other regions of Germany in order to encounter people and landscapes where Luther’s ideas have been kept alive. His works are displayed in the German Museum of Hygiene in Dresden, which is unique in its kind and constantly deals with current topics evolving around humans and society. Contact: Stiftung Deutsches Hygienemuseum, Lingnerplatz 1, 01069 Dresden, Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Tel.: +49 (0) 351-4846124, [email protected]; www.dhmd.de
Profess! Saxon Nobility in the Religious controversy. 1 April until 5 November 2017 Nossen. The introduction of the Reformation and the initially opposing positions of the Ern-estines and Albertines forced Saxon nobility to pick a position in the question of faith, often with far-reaching consequences that even lead to whole families splitting up. By means of personal objects a special exhibition at Schloss Nossen Castle shows the aristocrats’ journey through life underlining the distortions of those times. Contact: Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen gemeinnützige GmbH, Stauffen-bergallee 2a, 01099 Dresden, Tel.: +49 (0) 351-56391-1312, [email protected], www.schloesserland-sachsen.de
Luther and Marx 5 April until 17 June 2017 Chemnitz. In GDR times, Luther was at first defamed as class enemy, partly because he had supported the suppression of the peasants’ uprising, but was later declared a revolution-ary. In Chemnitz, back then deliberately named “town of Karl Marx”, socialism and Christian-ity clashed especially hard. But what unites Luther and Marx was the attempt to change soci-ety and humans for the better. This is reflected by a Chemnitz project on the occasion of the anniversary year dealing with the topic within the scope of music, literature and dance. Contact: Ev.-Luth. Kirchenbezirk Chemnitz, Arbeitsstelle für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Ge-meindeaufbau, Pfarrer Stephan Brenner, Theaterstraße 25, 09111 Chemnitz, Tel.: +49 (0) 371-40056-25, [email protected], www.luther-und-marx.de
Open House Presentation at the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory 21 and 22 April 2017 Meissen. When the doors of the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory open this year on 21 and 22 April, the visitors will be astonished to witness the unique craft of porcelain manufacture. The patterns are the signature of the Meissen producer. For the 500th anniversary of the posting of Martin Luther’s theses on the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg the factory
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-22-____
sets an artistic monument: with an extraordinary pen set. The desk organiser shows Witten-berg around 1537 and the Luther rose, both painted with the most delicate stroke of brush. The seal that the theologian once used to sign his writings is a trademark of the Protestant church today. The label clip shows the church door on its front and on its back the Luther monument of Wittenberg. The pen is adorned with Luther’s signature. A candle holder com-pletes this historic ensemble. Because in Luther’s time people jotted down their thoughts by the light of a candle. The ink pots are decorated with the portraits of Martin Luther and his wife Katharina von Bora. All of this requires not only comprising knowledge but also a great deal of talent. The portrait drawing is considered to be the high art of painting as it demands a perfect technique and detailed rendition of the subject. Furthermore, it is crucial to convey the character, the real personality of the person that is depicted. With this artwork the manufactory dignifies the historic event in Wittenberg. It also recognises that Luther’s work is closely connected to the art of handwriting. The annual medal will depict Luther as well. Contact: Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen, Talstraße 9, 01662 Meissen, Germany, Tel: + 49 (0) 3521-468-206/208, [email protected], www.meissen.de/events Further presentations: 30/04/, 01/05/, 05/05/, 03/06/, 04/06/ and 11/06/ Kulturschloss Großenhain Castle, 16 - 17 June New Meissen Castle Festival, 22 June Schloss Hartenfels Castle in Torgau
Chamber opera Katharina von Bora – Open-air Concert at the Original Location 20 May 2017, 9 pm, ruin of the Nimbschen convent, Grimma Grimma. The life, work and role of Katharina von Bora is presented musically and scenically
in seven pictures in the chamber opera “Katharina von Bora”. The opus of the young, highly talented Belgian composer Bert Appermont for symphonic winds ensemble, mixed choir and vocal soloists was a composition commissioned by the Saxon philharmonic wind orchestra on the occasion of their 60th anniversary. After the much celebrated premiere at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig and performances i.e. at Katharina von Bora’s burial church in Torgau, the performance at Nimbschen – directed by chief conductor Thomas Clamor – offers a unique opportunity to learn of the life of an admirable woman set to music at the original venue, the ruin of the Nimbschen convent. Tickets are available at the Grimma town information, the tourist information in Bad Lausick, ticket agencies and the ticket hotline +49 (0) 341-141414 or at www.ticketgalerie.de. Martin Luther visited the town by the Mulde river several times and influenced it greatly with his sermons at the convent church. The townspeople joined the Reformation early on. Al-ready in 1519, Luther noticed that the proselytes had prevailed in Grimma. The reformatory ideology spread widely and even reached the nearby convent Marienthron in Nimbschen. On Easter eve in 1523, several nuns fled the convent “Marienthron”. Among them Luther’s wife-to-be Katharina von Bora. Contact: Große Kreisstadt Grimma, Stadtverwaltung, Sebastian Bachran, Markt 17, 04668 Grimma, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 3437-9858215, [email protected], www.grimma.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-23-____
Music at the Mendelssohn House 21 May, 06/13/20/27 August and 29/31 October 2017 Leipzig. While others seek relaxation during their holidays, work at the Mendelssohn House goes on at the highest level: the Sunday piano concerts in August always provide excellent entertainment and a great overview of piano literature from many centuries. This August, the Mendelssohn House once more invites guests to the Leipzig Piano Summer, of course under the dominating topic of 500 years of Reformation. By now it has become a good and wise tradition to invite internationally experienced pianists to this small but very attractive festival that takes place during the free period of the great Leipzig music institutions. They present their 1-hour programme to an expert audience in the music salon of the Mendelssohn House. Our artists can be seen and heard every Sunday in August at 11 am. Afterwards, coffee, cake and nice conversations await in the garden. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy was a composer who was very passionate about religion. In his work one can feel his reflections on religion, God, and the effect of prayers on mankind. His strong roots in Christian faith (he was a member of the Reformed church) show i.e. in such vigorous works as the Reformation Symphony. The Mendelssohn House at the Leip-zig Goldschmidtstraße 12 is the last structurally preserved home address of the composer and musician Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. It is also the place where he died on 04 No-vember 1847 at the age of 38. Contact: Mendelssohn-Haus Leipzig, Goldschmidtstraße 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 341-962882-0, [email protected], www.mendelssohn-stiftung.de
Premiere of the Play “In God’s Own Land” 29 April 2017 Radebeul. Upon the early death of Elector Maurice, his brother and successor Augustus dis-sociated himself from Protestants of other faiths and actually made Lutheranism the state re-ligion. It was not before the 18th century that Saxony became more tolerant in religious ques-tions once more. But the inglorious tradition continued to have an effect. The theologian Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg, who was ordained in 1741, was sent to Pennsylvania by the foundation “Frankesche Stiftungen” to care for three German-speaking Lutheran parishes. There he became involved in a dispute with Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, the founder of the Moravian Church from the Saxon town of Herrnhut, who wanted to unite all Protestants while allowing them to keep their individual practices. Mühlenberg on the other hand founded an institutionalised Lutheran church on the American East Coast and is still known as its pa-triarch today. Based on Mühlenberg’s life, the theatre Landesbühnen Sachsen has created a play that is a product of the close cooperation of artists, historians, political and church insti-tutions from USA and Germany. After some performances at the home venue in Radebeul the play will be presented in Großenhain, Meissen and Torgau before going on stage in the USA as well. Weitere Vorstellungen: 30.4., 1.5., 5.5., 3.6., 4.6. und 11.6. Kulturschloss Großenhain, 16.-17.6. Neue Burgfestspiele Meißen, 22.6. Schloss Hartenfels Torgau Contact: Landesbühnen Sachsen, Meißner Str. 152, 01445 Radebeul, Tel. +49 (0) 351-8954203, [email protected], www.landesbuehnen-sachsen.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-24-____
Luther – Leipzig – Letterpress! Martin Luther in Large Print. 4 May until 24 September 2017 Leipzig. Without the invention of printing with movable letters, which was quite new at the time, Luther’s ideas would not have spread as quickly as they did. Until the end of World War II Leipzig was considered the centre of the German printing and publishing industry. Just as it had already played an important role in the production of print products during Luther’s life-time. On the occasion of the Reformation anniversary, the Leipzig Museum of Printing Arts visualises this important aspect of Reformation history by modifying the permanent exhibition and introducing additional activity stations. Yet, it also deals with Luther’s great influence on the German language and the Luther rose, his personal signet and one of the first trade-marks. Contact: Stiftung Werkstattmuseum für Druckkunst Leipzig, Nonnenstraße 38, 04229 Leipzig, Tel. +49 (0) 341-23162-0, [email protected], www.druckkunst-mu-seum.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-25-____
The Culinary Side of the Reformation Auerbachs Keller – Where the memory of Martin Luther comes alive Leipzig. In the course of his life Martin Luther visited Leipzig several times. And each time, the restaurant Auerbachs Keller (Auerbach’s cellar) was an important address for the Re-former. He had a very close friendship with Dr. Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach, founder of Auerbachs Keller, physician and dean of the medical faculty at the university. It began in 1519 when Luther visited Leipzig for a theological dispute with the Catholic theologian Jo-hannes Eck, which went down in history as the “Leipzig Debate”. Back then, Stromer was willing to entertain the controversial Luther. Two years later, the Reformer stopped by in se-cret when he was passing through from Wartburg Castle to Wittenberg. That is when the painting “The Secret Meeting” was created. It shows this exact come-together. Today, the painting can be seen in the “Lutherstübchen” at the legendary Auerbachs Keller – a main at-traction of the traditional restaurant with a small museum in honour of the great Reformer. Auerbachs Keller has been an official pilgrimage station of the Luther Trail. With anticipation it looks forward to the Reformation anniversary. Because the restaurant has kept the memory of Martin Luther alive for many years. A guided Luther tour takes place every day at 2 pm. In its course participants learn many interesting facts regarding the Reformer. The tour is also offered in English. Additionally, this year the dinner theatre “Die Luthers privat. Tafelfreuden und Tischreden beim Ehepaar Luther“ (The Luthers at home. Culinary delights and dinner conversation.) is presented. Auerbachs Keller is the most famous traditional restaurant in Leipzig. Already in 1525, stu-dents came here to enjoy a glass of wine. It was given its name by its founder, the physician and university professor Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach. In 1625, his great-grandson Johann Vetzer had Faust’s barrel ride painted on two panels in the cellar vault. These later inspired Johann Wolfgang Goethe to write his Faust, thus helping the former student pub achieve world renown. Contact: Auerbachs Keller Leipzig Rothenberger Betriebs GmbH, Mädler-Passage (Aufgang A), Grimmaische Strasse 2-4, 04109 Leipzig, Germany, Tel: + 49 (0) 341-2161014, [email protected], www.auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de
Dining like in Luther's times: “Barthels Hof" serves extraordinary food Leipzig. Luther once said: "Speak what is true, eat what is done, drink what is clear." “Barthels Hof”, one of the oldest restaurants in Leipzig, has made this quote by Martin Luther its motto on the anniversary “500 years of Reformation” and presents a family dinner as it would have been served in Luther’s times. The Grahl family that runs this historic restaurant came up with this idea. The inspiration for the family dinner came from the “Luther Melanch-thon Cookbook”. And so, since 01 January 2017, dishes from the region are offered as authentically as possi-ble with various herbs and spices. The general idea: to eat and drink like in Luther’s time. The Reformer and his wife Katharina von Bora loved company and good food. In their home they regularly received many guests. In the 16th century, bread was one of the main foods, potatoes were not yet known. Mead, light beer or a three percent wine mix were served with the meals, also to children.
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-26-____
The appetiser of the Luther family dinner is a hearty stew with lentils and root vegetables. The second course is a marinated pike-perch fillet on a herb sauce. Then comes the main course: a spicy pork neck with herbs on a spit with sauerkraut and semolina dumplings. The grand finale is a “poor knight” (French toast) with marinated apricots under the name of “Goldene Schnitte mit Kompott” (Golden Sandwich with Compote). The whole menu is served exclusively in earthenware with knife and spoon. Because also forks were not yet known in Luther’s time. The family dinner is served in the "Tollhard's Zechgewölbe” (Tollhard’s quaff vault, existing since 1497) in the cellar vault of the restaurant. As the last preserved passage yard in Leip-zig, the Barthels Hof ranks among the most important sights in town. The sandstone oriel, dated to 1523, was actually part of the prior building, the house “Zur goldenen Schlange” (the golden snake) and is considered to be the oldest preserved fragment of a Leipzig Renais-sance façade. During his visits to Leipzig, Martin Luther often passed this house and proba-bly also stopped for a bite at the restaurant. The goal of the Grahl family with their offer on the occasion of the Reformation anniversary is to bring the entertaining family dinner to the fore again, as it seems to have been forgotten in today’s everyday day life. So, whoever wants to spend an extraordinary evening with family, friends or colleagues, should definitely give it a try. The menu including the accompanying beverages – water, beer, wine and mead – is available for €49 pp. Contact: Barthels Hof, Hainstraße 1, 04109 Leipzig, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 341-141310, [email protected], www.barthels-hof.de
Welcome to “Herr Käthe” Torgau. “My dear, friendly Sirs, Mrs. Katharina von Bora, dear Mr. Käthe! Fine wine and beer I have at home, thereunto a beautiful woman, or should I say: Gentle-men! You had better send me the whole cellar of my wine and a bottle of your beer ... Or else I shall not return before you have brewed some more beer.” This is a rough translation of Martin Luther’s letter from 29 July 1534, which he sent to his wife from Dessau. The name of the restaurant reminds of the “Lutherin” (byname of Katharina von Bora) and her energetic character. It’s located deep in the heart of Torgau, one of the most beautiful Renaissance towns in Germany and “foster mother of the Reformation”. In the venerable building guests love to make themselves comfortable and enjoy creative, freshly prepared dishes, exotic soups and crisp salad compositions from a rather funny menu. The dining area with its old wooden beams, painted with blue casein paint, and oak flooring as well as many lovingly restored, small details is combined with modern style elements. In the fireplace lounge visitors come face to face with Martin Luther. The architectural gem of the restaurant is a gallery on the upper floor overlooking the dining area with a view of the tower of St. Marien church. During summer the beer garden provides Mediterranean flair. Contact: Restaurant Herr Käthe, Katharinenstraße 4, 04860 Torgau, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 3421-778665, [email protected], www.herrkaethe-torgau.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-27-____
Thüringer Hof Leipzig. Since 1454, the Türinger Hof has been open to guests. One of them was Martin Lu-ther who often stopped by at this traditional restaurant in Leipzig. History enthusiasts will still find the copy of one of Luther’s letters from 1520 here. The letter is addressed to his friend Spalatin, telling him Dr. Heinrich Schmiedeberg has left him 100 guilders in his testament. Dr. Schmiedeberg was the owner of the Thüringer Hof until 1515 and a close friend of Lu-ther’s. Unfortunately, the original was destroyed together with the restaurant during the great bomb attack in 1943. The friendship between Dr. Schmiedeberg and Martin Luther has been cherished by all sub-sequent owners. In 1858, the Grimpe family set up the “Lutherstube” (Luther room), which is characterised by different artistic depictions from Luther’s life and work, just like a small mu-seum. In 1933, in the course of comprising reconstruction works, the Luther room became the Luther hall. A large window was adorned with a glass painting of Luther at the Diet of Worms. Eight other artistic windows showed towns where Luther used to work: Eisleben, Mansfeld, Erfurt, Augsburg, Leipzig, Worms, Wartburg Castle in Eisenach and Wittenberg. The original templates for these artistic glazings, designed by the Leipzig painter Emil Block, can still be seen today in frames on the walls. And visitors can still read the name “Lu-therhalle” above the entrance door. They will then be seated in the restored historic “Lu-therhalle” with its cross vaults, chandeliers, pillars with wood panelling, cosy booths and cleanly scrubbed tables, and enjoy the Luther menu by candlelight. In the nearby Thomaskirche church one can admire the famous Luther Window with an in-scription stating that it was donated by Georg Grimpe, owner of the Thüringer Hof. Contact: Thüringer Hof, Burgstraße 19, 04109 Leipzig, Germany, +49 (0) 341-9944999, www.thueringer-hof.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-28-____
Luther-related Group Travels in Saxony Five four-day tours follow the trail of the great Reformer Martin Luther through Saxony. All of them are group travels. The tours can be booked at the website or the hotline of the Saxon booking service “Buchungsservice Sachsen”: +49 (0) 351-49170-0.
Tour 1: On the trail of Luther in the “Motherland of Reformation” Living legacy: Since the 16th century, Saxony has been known as the “Motherland of Refor-mation”. At numerous original locations the fascinating history is still tangible. Let it capti-vate you as well on a 4-day tour!
Only seldom has a dispute had such an impact as the “Leipzig Debate”. Given its historic di-mension its fame is quite understandable. The oral dispute between the Reformers around Martin Luther and the theology professor Jo-hannes Eck showed without a doubt that it would not be possible to bring the two parties together. The Protestant and Catholic church developed as a result of the “Leipzig Debate”. But in this trade fair town you do not only follow the tracks of Martin Luther. You will also learn about the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach – since both personalities are united in music. But it isn’t just the town of Leipzig, which you will explore during your trip through Sax-ony, that is intrinsically tied to the Reformation. In Torgau you will explore several sites that were of crucial importance to Martin Luther and his wife. Your tour will begin in the Saxon capital where numerous treasures from the times of Reformation are waiting to tell their story...
Day 1: Dresden – treasures from the times of Reformation
Guided city walk focussing on Reformation.
Visit to the Dresden State Art Collections incl. the “Old Masters” Gallery.
Tour of the Church of Our Lady.
Day 2: Leipzig – historic site of the debate Guided city walk following the trail of Luther and Bach. Tour of the churches Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche. Visit to the municipal museum with precious exhibits from the Reformation period. Tour of the Bach Museum. Guided tour of the world-famous restaurant “Auerbachs Keller”.
Day 3: Torgau – the political centre of the Reformation
Guided city walk “Martin Luther, Katharina von Bora and the Reformation in Torgau”. Visit to Schloss Hartenfels Castle and tour of the current special exhibition. Tour of the castle church. Exploration of the Marienkirche church with its Katharina von Bora epitaph. Organ concert. Visit tot he last dwelling of Katharina von Bora
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-29-____
Tour 2: The Melody of the Reformation What if the Reformation had never taken place? Then Saxony would maybe not enjoy world-renown as the centre of musical in-strument production. Why? Learn the an-swer on a 4-day tour through the “Mother-land of Reformation”. When it was rolling through Europe the wave of Reformation did not only affect the Catholic church. In the course of the changes cultural life was stirred up as well. On a very special round tour through Saxony you can experi-ence the musical side of the Reformation. Get to know the towns of Leipzig and Zwickau as well as their famous sons on your musical exploring tour through Saxony. Enjoy your visit to Musicon Valley® in Markneukirchen – a treat for your eyes and ears. Day 1: Leipzig – following the Music Trail
Exploration tours of the town centre along the “Notenspur” (Leipzig Music Trail). Visit to the Bach Museum. Tour of the churches Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche. Motet of the Thomaner choir (every Friday at 6 pm and Saturday at 3 pm).
Day 2: Leipzig, Zwickau – Saxony’s cradle of music
Visit to the Grassi Museum of musical instruments.
Trip to Zwickau.
Guided city walk.
Tour of St. Mary's Cathedral.
Visit to the birth place of Robert Schumann with the world-wide largest closed Schu-mann collection.
Day 3: Zwickau and Markneukirchen – resounding crafts
Trip to Markneukirchen.
Guided tour of an instrument maker’s workshop.
Visit to the museum of musical instruments in Markneukirchen. Contact and Booking: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen, Buchungsservice Sach-sen, Bautzner Straße 45-47, 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-49170-0, Fax: +49 (0) 351-4969306, [email protected], www.mutterland-der-reformation.de, www.sachsen-tourismus.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-30-____
Tour 3: Renaissance artists – record-keepers of Reformation
The Reformation period was also the era of Re-naissance. With their programmatic art the old masters have made the Reformation accessi-ble for generations to come. Now, the artists of Renaissance invite you to have look as well – during a 4-day time travel to the world of Martin Luther. Dusty, dark and confined. It’s associations like these that mining usually conjures. But that this rustic craft can be surprisingly artistic can be verified during a visit to the Ore Mountain towns
of Freiberg and Annaberg-Buchholz. At these mining hotspots you will find precious paintings from the Cranach collection and discover magnificent treasures of art in the churches where the miners’ guild once used to hold their early mass. Your journey will begin in Dresden where a multitude of masterpieces from the times of Refor-mation awaits you. Not only can you admire precious paintings but explore the Church of Our Lady as well, which perfectly exemplifies Martin Luther’s idea of a Protestant church building. Day 1: Dresden – treasures from the times of Reformation
Themed guided city walk.
Visit to the Dresden State Art Collections incl. the “Old Masters” Gallery.
Tour of the Church of Our Lady. Day 2: Freiberg, Augustusburg, Annaberg-Buchholz – Renaissance art in historic buildings
Guided city walk with tour of the Freiberg cathedral.
Organ play on the famous Silbermann organs.
Visit to the Freiberg Municipal and Mining Museum with its Cranach paintings.
Tour of Schloss Freudentsein Castle and the “terra mineralia”.
Trip to Augustusburg.
Tour of the Renaissance castle Augustusburg and the castle church with an impres-sive Cranach altarpiece that has been restored in 2015.
Trip to Annaberg-Buchholz (overnight stay).
Day 3: Annaberg-Buchholz, Schneeberg – the artistic side of mining
Guided city walk with tour of the churches St. Annenkirche, St. Katharinenkirche and Bergkirche St. Marien.
Trip to Schneeberg.
Tour of the St. Wolfgangskirche church with the first significant Reformation altar (from the Cranach workshop).
Tip: Excursion to Musicon Valley® Markneukirchen
Contact and Booking: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen, Buchungsservice Sach-sen, Bautzner Straße 45-47, 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-49170-0, Fax: +49 (0) 351-4969306, [email protected], www.mutterland-der-reformation.de, www.sachsen-tourismus.de
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-31-____
Tour 4: Travelling along the Luther Trail through Saxony Attention! Insiders’ Tip! In Saxony, Martin Lu-ther left his footprints on a track of 550 km. Visitors follow his example and experience some of the most interesting stations of the Luther Trail far away from the common tourist centres.
Those who have seen the ruin of the Nimbschen convent will have a hard time try-ing to understand why Katharina von Bora may have wanted to leave this idyllic place. After 12 years in the convent the nun fled via Torgau to Wittenberg where she married Martin Luther in the year 1525. This and other excit-ing stories from the time of the Reformation are part of the 4-day tour through Saxony. In Zwickau, the Luther Trail leads past St. Marien Cathedral, to the Katharinenkirche church, the place where Thomas Müntzer preached, to the priests’ houses, one of Germany’s oldest preserved housing ensembles, and to the “Brauhaus Zwickau” (Zwickau Brewery Pub) in the priests’ houses. The next stop is the ruin of the Nimbschen convent, then a guided city tour of Grimma, an entertaining boat tour on the Mulde river to Höfgen, the “village of the senses” with its museum “Schiffsmühle”, in Leisnig a peek at the exhibition on the Leisnig Order of Castes and church music, a tour of Burg Mildenstein Castle, the former property of the Wet-tins, and Torgau. In the town of the Reformation the comprising travel programme will include a guided city tour “Martin Luther, Katharina von Bora and the Reformation in Torgau”, a visit to Schloss Hartenfels Castle with a tour of the current special exhibition, a discovery tour of the castle church (the first newly built Protestant church building) and the Marienkirche church with Katharina-von-Bora-epitaph, and the last residence of Katharina von Bora. Contact and Booking: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen, Buchungsservice Sach-sen, Bautzner Straße 45-47, 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-49170-0, Fax: +49 (0) 351-4969306, [email protected], www.mutterland-der-reformation.de, www.sachsen-tourismus.de
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Tour 5: Yesterday and today – Catholicism in Saxony
Changeover: During the year of Refor-mation in 2017, Saxony not only focuses on the Protestant church. Because there are centres and monuments of the Catholic faith as well that score with their beauty and significance. It is worth the while to ex-plore them! Bautzen pursues a two-track policy – as you will quickly realise during your visit. Thus, not only German but also Sorbian is spoken in the medieval town. Even St. Petri Cathe-dral has two sides to show: Since the Refor-mation in 1524, the house of worship has
been used by Roman-Catholic as well as Protestant-Lutheran believers. St. Petri Cathedral is one of the oldest interdenominational churches in Germany. On your 4-day journey through Saxony you will have the opportunity to explore the town of Bautzen and the Catholic monasteries in Upper Lusatia. But there’s more. You can also mar-vel at Dresden’s cultural treasures and visit Germany’s oldest castle in Meissen. Enjoy all of Saxony’s facets!
Day 1: Dresden – treasures from the times of Reformation
Themed guided city walk with a visit to the Church of Our Lady.
Tour of the Catholic Hofkirche church in Dresden with organ play on the Silbermann organ (Wednesday and Saturday 11:30 am till noon, admission free).
Visit to the Dresden State Art Collections incl. the “Old Masters” Gallery.
Tour of the Church of Our Lady. Day 2: Meissen – town of superlatives
Guided city walk with tour of the cathedral.
Tour of Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen, the oldest castle in Germany.
Visit to the special exhibition “EIN SCHATZ NICHT VON GOLD Benno von Meißen – Sachsens erster Heiliger” (a treasure not made of gold, Benno von Meißen – Sax-ony’s first saint, 12/05/ - 05/11/2017).
Tour of the State Porcelain Manufactory in Meissen, the first porcelain factory in Eu-rope.
Optional tour on a historic steamboat. Day 3: Panschwitz-Kuckau, Rosenthal, Bautzen, Ostritz – the Catholic side of Upper
Lusatia
Tour of the Cistercian convent St. Marienstern in Panschwitz-Kuckau.
Trip to the place of pilgrimage in Rosenthal, visit to the pilgrimage church.
Trip to Bautzen.
Guided city walk with tour of St. Petri Cathedral.
Trip to Ostritz.
Visit to the Cistercian convent St. Marienthal.
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-33-____
Contact and Booking: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen, Buchungsservice Sach-sen, Bautzner Straße 45-47, 01099 Dresden, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 351-49170-0, Fax: +49 (0) 351-4969306, [email protected], www.mutterland-der-reformation.de, www.sachsen-tourismus.de
Guided City Tours “On the Trail of Reformation“ Reformation Pirna – Invitation to the Tetzelhaus Pirna. The indulgence preacher Johann Tetzel was deemed one of Luther’s antagonisers. Some sources speak of Pirna as his place of birth. In 1465, the Dominican monk was sup-posedly born at the Schmiedestr. 19. The “Tetzel House” can be visited in the course of guided city tours. Built in 1381, it houses the oldest medieval timber board lounge in Saxony and the second oldest roof truss in Pirna. Visitors can participate in the tour “Pirna and the Reformation in Saxony”. The tour through the historic city centre leads participants i.e. to the Marienkirche church, the construction of which began during Catholic times and was com-pleted after the Reformation. The tours are offered every last Sunday of the month from Easter to September as well as on 31 October. They last approximately 1.5 hours and offer room for up to 30 persons. Individual tours can be booked at other times. Contact: Kultur- & Tourismusgesellschaft Pirna, TouristService im Canalettohaus, Am Markt 7, 01796 Pirna, Germany, Tel: +49 (0) 3501-556446, [email protected], www.pirna.de,
Searching for Traces between Dresden and Wittenberg by Bicycle Dresden. In 2017, it has been 500 years since the posting of Martin Luther’s theses on the portal of the Wittenberg castle church. Theme years have been preparing for this anniver-sary since 2008. In Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony, the motherland of Protestantism, you find traces everywhere: not only in Wittenberg but also in towns like Torgau with the oldest Protestant church in the world. Great historic epochs leave great cultural traces. Cultural tourists go on very special discovery tours by bike. Upon individual arrival, prior briefing and receipt of a rental bike (if required) the 8-day tour of overall 220 km starts in Dresden. The Church of Our Lady and Semper Opera can be visited as part of a stroll prior to the actual start of the tour. On day two, the participants travel 25 kil-ometres to Meissen, the town of porcelain, with its cathedral and Albrechtsburg Castle. Here, the “Meissen officialese” came into being, which Luther used to translate the bible. Further north, in Mühlberg by the Elbe river, the all-deciding battle took place during the Schmalkaldic (religious) War. It resulted in the Peace of Augsburg, which ensured that Prot-estantism was finally accepted as a confession. At the same time, the monastery of Mühl-berg was a stronghold of the Counter-Reformation. On the fourth day the tour leads to Tor-gau. With the oldest Protestant church in the world and the tomb of Katharina Luther Torgau is considered the most important place of the Reformation, aside from Wittenberg. In 1544, Martin Luther inaugurated Torgau’s castle chapel that he perceived as one of the most beau-tiful churches. Overall, 500 monuments from late Gothic and Renaissance times like Schloss Hartenfels Castle adorn Torgau’s town ensemble. Finally, the next station is Wittenberg, the “town of Luther”. On the way lies Schloss Lichtenburg Castle. Here, one encounters the tracks of Elisabeth, the electress of Brandenburg, who converted to Protestantism against the will of her husband. Once in Wittenberg, a public guided tour shows important sights like the palace church, Cranachhöfe and Melanchton house. On day 7 the bikers drive through the Fläming, the same path to Jüterbog that the Wittenberg townspeople used to take when
Tourism News from Saxony Special Edition on the Occasion of the Reformation Anniversary 2017________________________-34-____
acquiring a letter of indulgence. Jüterbog’s historic city centre and the huge Nikolaikirche church are well worth seeing as is the nearby Zinna monastery. Then it’s back to Wittenberg by train and from there back home. Contact: Yasmine Rohlfs, Tel. 0049 (0) 441-4859714
Information Brochures on the 500th Reformation Anniversary in Saxony The Tourism Marketing Company of Saxony (TMGS) provides comprising brochure material on the topics of “Reformation – for Beginners”, “Reformation and Music”, Reformation and Painting” and “The Catholic Side”, and is ideally equipped for the great national and interna-tional interest in this topic.
Motherland of the Reformation – On the Trail of a World Event: This brochure showcases Saxony as the origin of the Reformation with a wide range of topics which are still relevant today. Get to know Saxony’s rich Reformation heritage now.
Motherland of the Reformation – Events and Exhibitions 2017-2018: Numerous events and exhibitions take place in Saxony during the anniver-sary year of the begin of the Reformation. Look into this flyer for an over-view.
Further information on the topic of Reformation in Saxony can be found in the following bro-chures that can be ordered for free at www.visitsaxony.com, via email: [email protected] and by phone at +49 (0)351 49 17 00.
