I have reached a part of Germany where one doesn’t have to look to hard to find a Protestant church. In fact the town of Erfurt is loaded with them, and I stayed in one. Well, a building connected to one.
My Munich friends helped me plan my loop through the country, and when I told them I wanted to stop in Erfurt, they suggested I stay at the former monastery of St. Augustine there. It is now a retreat center.
This is not just any monastery; this was where Martin Luther studied and became a monk. It was a bit of a splurge, but I made a reservation for one night. I got there and within 15 minutes decided I needed to stay two nights. So I did. It was wonderful.
The room was modestly furnished and peaceful, and you can just feel the deep history of the place as you walk around the grounds or go into the church. Once Martin Luther’s teachings began to be absorbed, the monastery dissolved (in the 1520’s) and the site was part of a Protestant parish and had various uses over the centuries, including a school and an orphanage.
In 1945 the monastery was hit by two bombs dropped by Allied forces. Tragically 267 people taking refuge in the library basement were killed. That building and two others were destroyed. Reconstruction began after the war ended, but this town was in the GDR (East Germany), and rebuilding was not a quick or smooth process. Conversion to its current mission and structure began in 1999.
Of course I attended the nightly Vespers in the Sanctuary. The service was spoken and sung (a cappella) entirely in German, but the bulletin included the English translation for which I was grateful.
My day in Erfurt was spent walking around town, just soaking it all in. The information plaques all around are in German, of course, so my understanding of everything I saw was not always at a cognitive level. But that did not hamper my enthusiasm.
Oh, did I mention the vending machine with two beer options? For only € 2, how could I resist?
This Journey Begins Now 
I know exactly where you are, Bonnie! In 2006 Myrna and I toured Luther sites with fellow Lutherans on a PLU sponsored trip led by Pastor Rick Rouse. The itinerary included a night at St. Augustine monastery. I remember it well–the beautiful courtyard, the gate where Martin Luther purportedly entered to take refuge from the storm, the bombed area, and our sparse but pristinely clean accommodations that included a plain but perfectly prepared and delicious meal. I’m enjoying arm chair travel as I read your blog!
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That’s so cool, Lois. Being there with a leader would have added a level of understanding. I’ll bet that was an awesome trip.
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