Bach and Luther in Eisenach - 2

Georgenkirche, Eisenach.

Eisenach: the Markt and Rathaus at sunset.

Lutherhaus museum, Eisenach

Martin Luther, Portrait

Eisenach is a pleasant little city, where most of the interesting places are within walking distance or reachable by bus. In June 2007, having spent some time in the Bachhaus Museum, I discovered that just around the corneris the Lutherhaus, an old timbered building, where Masrtin Luther lived during his schooldays. The street is, appropriately, the Lutherstrasse. I soon found there were as many contacts with Luther as with Bach.

A little further along is the Markt, the big open space or platz, that one found in most towns and cities. On one side of the Markt is the historic Georgenkirche, rather plain on the outer view but quietly elegant within. It has an excellent organ, and at the altar-rail one can see the stone font where generations of Bachs were baptized. The souvenir leaflet records that Johann Ambrosius Bach's son, Johann Sebastian, was baptized here on Montag, den 23 Marz 1685. I revisited Eisenach in June 2008, and had the good fortune to hear an organ recital in the church, which, in common with many German churches, has a fine acoustic for the "King of Instruments".

The Georgenkirche was badly damaged in WW2, the roof and windows destroyed; it has been restored, with a mansard roof , and in common with many Lutheran churches of the day, plain glass windows. Where Lutheran churches have stained glass, eg the Thmaskirche in Leipzig, they seem to be post-war additions, by modern artists sponsored by various organisations.

The Markt is actively used as a market, with rows of clothing stalls, craftwork, fruit and vegetables, and rows of nursery plants. The stalls are provided with temporary electrical and water connections, and I think are well-regulated by the municipality. The atmosphere is delightfull, nobody is trying a "hard sell", they will urge you to buy in a companinable way. I used to buy New Zealand apples there for my picnic lunches. Keeping a stern eye on things is a gilded statue of St George wrestling with the dragon, standing atop a very original fountain comprising four lizards (see pic below). The Rathaus, elegantly decorated in a dusty red, with a traditional German cupola, lies in the corner. In 2007 a large historic building filling one side of the Markt was covered by scaffolding. By June 2008 the restoration was complete and the building is to be fitted out as the city museum. Beyond the Markt is the ______strasse. a traffic-free shopping street -- a good place to stop for a coffee-and-cake special. From the end of the street, a left turn takes one to the open space facing the St Nikolaikirche, and next to it the massive Nikolaitor, one of the ancient medieval gates into the city, now buzzing with traffic. There in the Platz is a large bronze statue of Martin Luther in academic dress, holding a substantial Bible.

Luther memorial.