August 16: Eisleben

Eisleben has been throughout its history a small copper mining town. Martin Luther was born here, and felt a lifelong connection to this town. However, his family quickly moved away to nearby Mansfield, where he was raised, shortly after he was born, so Luther actually spent very little time in Eisleben. At age 62, Luther was asked to help settle a dispute between nobles at Eisleben. He made the journey in winter, fell sick, and eventually realized that he was going to die in the same town in which he was born, which he did.

It's odd: the old part of Eisleben is very small. The place of Luther's birth is at the bottom of a hill. About five blocks away at the top of the same hill is the place of Luther's death. So it's as if his whole life's journey took him only five blocks and up a hill. It's odd again: across the street from the place of Luther's birth is a large church where he was baptized the next day. Across the street from the place of Luther's death is another large church where he preached his last sermon a day(?) or two(?) before he died.

The place of Luther's birth at the bottom of the hill. Where had I seen it before? Brad and Sarah Restoule drew it for me for the 2015 Luther Conference. Remember that?

This house was actually built in the 19th Century over the place where Luther was born.

Saints Peter and Paul Church right across the street where Luther was baptized and named the next day.

What did Luther's parents look like at the time he was born? Well, it's hard to say. We only have portraits of them when they were quite old and their son quite famous.

However, through the miracle of science, their younger selves can be reconstructed with 99.44% accuracy!