5 stories from Eisleben, Germany

Drivers

On the highway, our bus had to stop for nearly two hours due to an accident ahead. When we looked out the back of the bus, we saw the drivers had pulled up to the sides and left space in the middle for emergency vehicles to pass. So unlike Malaysia!

Repentance

There’s an anti-Jewish sculpture, dating from before Luther, in the church where he preached over 2,000 times. Luther approved of it. Today’s residents don’t. Instead of demolishing it, they created a new sculpture. It sends a new message: anything you try to suppress will somehow be revealed. So, never hide sin. Always admit it and repent of it.

Stumbling

Many pavements are made of small stones. Sometimes, there’s a small brass stone. It’s called a stumbling stone. Engraved on it is a person’s name, date of birth, and mode of death. It commemorates a victim of the holocaust. You must stoop down to read it. By stooping, you honour the victim.

Rejection

Luther was baptised in a church on this spot. The present church was built 11 years ago. The baptismal font contains some pieces from the font used in Luther’s baptism. The designers provided no platform, no pulpit for the preacher. The Word is placed at the same level as the congregation. The designers rejected what Luther did in a church he designed.

Development

This is the same 11-year-old church, built where Luther was baptised. It has no pulpit, and the word and preacher are at the same level as the congregation. But the designers did something Luther would probably approve of. They put a baptismal pool at the centre. They made it such that it always has ripples. And they inscribed circles on the floor, spreading outwards. The message is, “We are sent into the world!”