May until October 2014 from the 16th century in this way. Thus, it breaks A strong history of women – with the common picture of the Reformation as a 500 years of Reformation mainly male event. Exhibition of Saxon State Castles, Palaces and Gardens in Rochlitz Spring 2015 With its changeful history of more than thousand Opening of the Luther years Schloss Rochlitz Castle ranks among the most Trail in exceptional monuments in Saxony. In 2013, after extensive reconstruction, a new permanent exhibi- What the Luther Trails offer is a “walk through tion could be opened to the public. The castle was Reformation history”. Starting in 2015, the Luther the residence of the widowed Duchess Elisabeth Trail in Saxony, as part of the Middle German von Hessen, the daughter-in-law of Duke George Luther Trail, will lead to the domains of Luther and the Bearded, a bitter oponent of Luther residing other Reformers but will also show the development in . Against the will of her father-in-law and consequences of the Reformation. Important Elisabeth, the only female member of the Protestant cities and towns alongside the trail are Torgau, Schmalkaldic League, introduced the Reformation the “Wet nurse of the Reformation”, Leipzig, the on her territories without forcing the old believers “City of Disputation”, Borna, where Luther wrote to convert. She is only one of the important and his “Ash Wednesday Letter”, Grimma, where his often overlooked protagonists of Luther‘s doctrine wife lived as a nun in a convent, and Zwickau, the whose life is documented in the special exhibition. domain of Thomas Müntzer. Even though the With nearly 500 exhibits from national and inter- Luther Trail in Saxony is laid out as a spiritual national lenders this special exhibition is the first hiking path, its stations can just as well be reached to documenteine the lives and surroundings of females by bike and car. STARKE FRAUEN geschichte 500 Jahre Reformation

From left: Rochlitz Castle, „A strong History of Women“, Luther Trail in Saxony

01. Mai MOTHERLAND OF THE REFORMATION. 31. Oktober 2014 CONTACT INFORMATION AND IMPRINT Event highlights 2013-2015. SchlossAlso available:: Rochlitz Publisher: Photo credits: Foto Lohse, Wolfgang „Motherland of Reformation - Saxony Tourism Siesing, SKD, David Brandt,SBG (Tourism Marketing Company On the Trail of a World Event“ of Saxony) Funded by the Free State of brochure, 104 pages Bautzner Strasse 45-47 Saxony on behalf of the Please order at: 01099 Dresden Saxon State Departement for Science and the Arts MOTHERLAND OF THE REFORMATION. www.visitsaxony.com ON THE TRAIL OF A wORLD EvENT. [email protected] www.schloss-rochlitz.de www.saxonytourism.com (USA and Canada) www.visitsaxony.com Printed in Germany 2013 www.facebook.com/Schloss.Rochlitz 1 www.saxony.in (India) MOTHERLAND OF THE REFORMATION. Event highlights 2013-2015. Motherland of THE Reformation

When Martin Luther was born on 10 November 1483, Saxony was at the height of its power. Since 1464, Elector Ernst and his brother Albert had together been ruling the most powerful country in the centre of the Holy German Empire. But just two years after Luther’s birth, Ernst and Albert made the biggest mistake in Saxony’s history: they split up the land. The ruling Wettin dynasty was divided into two lines, the Ernestine and Albertine. Now there were two countries with the name Saxony, the Electorate and the Duchy, and it was the sons of Ernst and Albert who played the most important, albeit different, roles in the life of Martin Luther and for the course of the Reformation. While the ducal Albertines made Dresden their new residence, Torgau became the centre of power under the electoral Ernestines. After the Albertines had taken the electoral dignity off the Ernestines, their strongly augmented Saxony, which by then also comprised Torgau and Wittenberg, the ”Mother of Reformation”, had the leading role among the Protestant regions of Germany for a very long time and made for the consolidation and advancement of the Reformation. At the end of the 16th century, Saxony had already been given the honorary title “Motherland of the Reformation”, a legacy to which also the current federal state declares itself. Saxony celebrates 500 years of Reformation. Celebrate with us!

World-famous are thus always an encounter with Martin Luther collections and the Reformation.

When Elector Augustus established the Art May until October 2014 Chamber in 1560, he was laying the foundation Creeds on ceremonial for world-famous collections. Today, the Dresden weapons State Art Collections are among the most impor- Exhibition of the Dresden State Art tant museums in the world. The Dresden State Collections in Torgau Art Collections feature the largest collection of pieces from the Reformation period. Thus Martin One year before the great National Special Exhibition Luther’s signet ring, his sword and goblet are in in Torgau, the world of the Reformation comes the “Grünes Gewölbe” (), the legend- alive on Schloss Hartenfels Castle, the former resi- ary treasure chamber of the Saxon Electors. The dence castle of Saxon electors. The deeply religious armoury has ceremonial weapons with Reformation world of the 16th century is illustrated by means of motifs and armor of Saxon rulers. And the Old extraordinary pieces of art. The ceremonial weapons Masters Picture Gallery houses a large collection of of the Saxon electors were not only a symbol of important paintings from the 16th century, among worldly sovereignty but also a commitment to the them the world‘s largest collection of works from Reformation and a clear statement in terms of the the Cranach workshop. A visit to the Dresden religious war of that time. Residenzschloss (residence castle) and the

From left: Green Vault, Luther‘s signet ring, Giants Hall at Dresden Castle, Splendor sword Portrait of Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder from the Old Masters Picture Gallery, Dresden

May until October 2015 Electorate of Saxony, and the superintendenture, National Special Exhibition: where the Torgau Articles were written by Luther Luther and the princes and his fellow campaigners. Schloss Hartenfels is Exhibition of the Dresden State Art at the heart of this exhibition. During the lifetime Collections in Torgau of Luther‘s first guardian, Elector Frederick the Wise, began the expansion of the castle as electoral Already two years before the 500th jubilee of residence. His brother and successor, Elector John Luther‘s theses, a great National Special Exhibition the Steadfast, already resided in Torgau. His eldest takes place in Torgau. In 1515, Pope Leo X had son, Elector John Frederick the Magnanimous, fi- proclaimed an indulgence that was to save believers nally completed the expansion. This is how the from purgatory against a certain fee. In Luther‘s „marvelous staircase“, the Große Wendelstein, was geographical surroundings, the Dominican monk built between 1533 and 1536, which still puzzles Johann Tetzel from Saxon Pirna used this as a today‘s architects. For the National Special Exhi- means to gather money for the construction of St. bition not only exhibition rooms in the wing on Peter‘s Basilica and for the debt relief of his mighty the town side are used but also the former elec- sovereign, Cardinal Albert of Mainz. This animated toral chambers, the room of mirrors at the „Großer Luther to protest and lastly to write his theses, Wendelstein“ and the castle church, which was which he sent to this very Cardinal. The National dedicated in Luther‘s presence, the world’s first Special Exhibition deals with the political history newly-built Protestant church. The exhibition of the Reformation between 1515 and 1591 but shows paintings, weapons, armours, coins, docu- also looks at the effects of Protestantism to this day. ments and other exhibits, all of these impressively It takes place in different historical buildings in demonstrating the mutual influence of Reformation Torgau, the political centre of the Reformation, and politics. While the Electors were protecting with its almost unchanged appearance. Among the Luther, his ideas are reflected in the self-display of exhibition venues are Schloss Hartenfels Castle, the the sovereigns and their understanding of rulership. former residence of the Saxon electors, the former Also the anti-reformationist reaction of the Catholic electoral chancery, the administrative seat of the side is a part of the exhibition.