Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-31
ON TRAIL Of LUTHER
Locations in Germany Where
His Passing Is Remembered.
SITE OF HIS KIDNAPPING
inscriptions Over Doors of Castles
and Inns.
TRUE REFORMER PLANTED
Summer Home Of Duke Of SAKE
Weimar at Reinhards-
brunn.
TRUE REFoRMER PLANTED
BY MILAN Z CHRIS

town where he rested on his way to
Worms, assert that Luther wrote his IA
nous hymn, "Ean Feste Burgist Unser
Gott," at that place.
Other authorities claim that it was
written at the castle of Coburg several
years later. till others believe that both
claims have good foundation and can be
reconciled on the theory that the original
draft, made at Oppenheinl. was revised
and put in more perfect form Of words
and music at the castle Of Coburg.
A hotel called the Ritter, where
Luther lodged while at Oppenheim, Is
still standing and bears an appropriate
inscription. The landlord will show you
the room in which he slept and will ex-
plain how being left handed, he opened
the easement in fashion that has since
been initiated by everybody in the vii
lage."
At Pfiffiglleim, a few miles distant from
Oppenheim, is a decrepit old elm called
the '.Lutherbaum," which, according to
tradition, was planted by the reformer
while en- route to Worms.
The story goes that as he was riding
along this road with his friends. he no.
ticed a peasant planting trees by the
roadside Stopping the cart he said:
Give me one Of those saplings that
may place 1t in the earth. God grant that
my doctrines may flourish like this tree"
A fine old house with a big bay window
at the corner, supported upon futed
column, claims to have been the lodging
place Of Luther at Pffigheim for several
days, beginning with April ii, 1921, on
his way to Worms He tarried at Leipzig,
Naumberg, Weimar, Erfurt and Gotha,
travelling in a>cart with leather curtains.
and upon his arrival at Frankfort was
taken i'll.
He wrote his wife from that city April
IA, saying:
II have been i'll and am so now to
degree have never known before" The
house bears an inscription reading:
I'm silentio ct spe crit fOrtitudo ves-
tra.'
Birth of Professionalism.
Schmalkalden. a manufacturing town of
about 10000 inhabitants, about twenty
five miles from Eisenach, on the way to
Cuburg, was the meeting place Of the
League of Schmalkalden," one OF the
first formal organizations Of Protestants,
in 1881. The 'GaSthof Krone" q tavern
In which a covenant drawn up by Luther.
MelanchthOn and other reformers was
signed, in 1887. still stands. and bears a
bronze tablet recting this historical fact.
There is a statue of Luther in the pub
lie square. A fountain is dedicated to
him. A monument is to Karl Wilhelm,
composer Of the 'Wacht am Rhein," a
native OF the place, born in 1915 and died
in 1873.
A few miles farther on is Leibenstein,
beautifully situated health resort with
chalybeate springs and several comfort
able hotels. The waters are used both
for bathing and drinking. and are said to
be good for rheumatism and other dis
eases Of the blood
tractive. The altitude of the place Is
about 1,2O0 feet 1t is surrounded by a
dense forest of pines. through which
roads and walks have been cut and pretty
rest houses and cafes placed at frequent
intervals.
On q peak about 1900 feet above the
hotels are extensive ruins OF a fine old
castle OF the fourteenth century called
the Burgstein. This is reached by zigzag
paths and drives.
The Schloss Altenstein, summer resi-
dence of the Duke of -Meiningen
stands on rugged pinnacle Of limestone
about two miles farther through the
woods. The cliffs around 1t are filled with
caves and grottos. There is a subterra-
mean lake, also, which has q mysterious
interest for biologists.
Where Luther Was KIDNAPPED.
Four miles from Altenstein, by a good
road through a dense pine forest. is a
monument erected in 1857 on the spot
where Luther was kidnapped by order Of
his friend. Elector Frederick of Saxony,
in May. 1921, while returning by this
route to his home in Wittenberg. He
was kept in these Woods for several DAVIS
by his captors until the way was clear to
convey him to the castle of Wartburg
A tree, known as "Luther's BEECH" I'M
der which he was captured, was DESTROYED
by lightning in 1s41. The monument, an
an iron fence, was provided to mark the
place.
The men in command of the knights
who captured him were Won Humid, gov
ernor OF Altenstein Castle, and Berlepsch, |
governor of the Wartburg Castle Luth-
er, in q letter to Spalatin, private secre- |
tary of the elector, dated May IA, 1871, |
says:
who inhabit that district. Leav-
ing them and proceeding thence toward |
Waltershausen, just after passing the |
castle Of Altenstein, I was captured. My
brother Gas he calls one of the compan- |
ions who accompanied him from Wtten- |
burg), seeing the knights, leaped in time |
from the carriage and, without taking |
leave, proceeded on foot to Walter 1
shausen, which he reached in the even
$50 here am I, having put of my own |
attire and assumed that of a knight, with |
long hair and long beard, SO that you |
would scarcely know me. Indeed, for |
some time have hardly known myself"
Record in Village Church.
A good automobile road leads directly
to the place and the castle of Altenstein |
Is worth visiting. II you hunt up the |
pastor of the little village church at
Schweina, which lies at the foot Of the
hill occupied by the schloss, he will |
show you a note made in the parish reg
lister. the parsons log book at the time.
to that event.
1t reads as follows:
Saturday, May 4, 1521.-Between 4 and |
5 in the afternoon DR.. M Luther passed |
through the place on his way from \
Worms and was taken captive beyond |
Altenstein upon the road to Walters
hansen and carried to Wartburg."
The inscription on the Luther monu- /
ment marking the place Of his capture /
reads as follows:
ION Saturday. May 4, in the year 1921.
between and 8 o'clock in the afternoon, |
Herr DIR. Martin Luther, while passing by /
On his way from the diet at Worms to |
his home In Wittenburg, was seized and |
to the Wartburg."
On another side OF the shaft il carved /
the second verse Of the 10th Psalm:
1.-THE Lord shall send the rod of thy (
strength out Of ion; rule thou in the
midst Of thine enemies"
On the third side IL inscribed the Sec /
ond verse OF the 18th Psalm. as follows:
1.-THE Lord IL my rock and my strength, |
my fortress and my deliverer: my God, Il
ny strength, in whom will trust"
The fourth inscription tells us that this
A.