GERMANY: TORGAU

 May 17, 2025

Torgau is a smallish town in eastern Germany on the Elbe River that today has a population of about 20,000 people. Probably its biggest claim to fame is that it is the place where the US and Soviet armies first met at the end of World War II on April 25, 1945. Eventually, Torgau became part of the region controlled by the Soviet Union and known in the United States as East Germany.

But that was not our interest in the city. We had planned a few days in this area of Germany--Saxony--to become better acquainted with the religious reformer Martin Luther, who established Torgau as a key center for the Protestant Reformation. Luther traveled here more than 60 times from his home in nearby Wittenburg to consult with princes and theologians, and Torgau was where he consecrated the first church intentionally built as a Protestant church.

Our first stop was at the Hartenfels Castle, which was built in the 15th century, making it the largest completely preserved early Renaissance castle in all of Germany. 

One of the most interesting things about the castle is that is has a moat surrounding it that is full of greenery and logs rather than water.

That is because the moat is home to two brown bears. This tradition dates back to the castle's origins. After a pause beginning in the 19th century, the bears were reinstanted in the 1950s with a gift from the Leipzig Zoo. Benno and Bea, who are brother and sister, are the latest residents, having lived here since 2013. We only saw one of them, but I can't tell you which one.

We crossed the bridge over the moat to the castle . . . 

. . . passing through this gate . . .

. . . and under this quite unique coat of arms that includes a red cow with a checkered cap, what looks like a court jester in red and white stripes, and perhaps a dachshund with wings?

Directly in front of us was the Hartenfels Castle, anchored in the center by a circular staircase that I'll talk about momentarily and on the right by that first Protestant chapel I already mentioned.

Left: The Neptune Fountain guarding the entrance was a gift to Kaiser Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 to 1918.

Right: This is a "Roland statue," a medieval symbol of freedom and city rights. Roland was a knight who served under Charlemagne. Statues like this were erected in Northern and Eastern Germany to represent the town's independence and basic civic rights.

For me, the best part of the castle is this structure. From the outside it looks like a beautiful tower . . .

. . . with lovely ornamentation.

But enter the tower and "beautiful" becomes "extraordinary."  Torgau's Great Spiral Staircase may be my favorite staircase of all time.

Built between 1533 and 1537 by the master architect Konrad Krebs, this structure is considered to be one of the highlights of Renaissance architecture. It is free-standing, meaning it does not have a central support column nor is it attached to exterior walls. Built out of wood or steel, this would be amazing, but built from stone, it is incomprehensible. In fact, its nickname is "The Impossible Staircase."

There are many other exquisite touches. It's hard to believe this palace is almost 500 years old!

We spent a little bit of time in a historical exhibit in one section of the castle.

The view of the Elbe River and beautiful Torgau from the upstairs window.:

Which door would you take?

The castle tower is on the left below and the chapel tower is on the right.  The chapel was the first church building built specifically to serve the new Protestant faith and was consecrated by Martin Luther himself in October 1544. It is currently on the Tentative List for a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.

Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside the chapel, and there aren't any photos that I could find on the internet that are better than this one. It is a relatively simple chapel with a vaulted ceiling and a couple of balconies. Rather than being at the back of the chapel, the organ is placed right over the altar. Luther liked his music!

After we left the palace complex, our guide pointed out the spire of the Marienkirche, or St. Mary's Church, where Luther's beloved wife Katharina von Bora is buried. 

On our way back to the car, we passed this monument and stopped for a look. Built by the Soviets, it is known as the Link-up Monument. It memorializes the coming together of US and Soviet forces that I mentioned earlier. The plaques at the bottom in German and then in English say, "Glory to the victorious Red Army and our heroic allies having triumphed over Fascist Germany." The meeting that occurred here deeply affected the soldier who represented the American forces, Joseph Polowsky, and he is actually buried in Torgau.

Across the street is the Liberation Monument that commemorates the liberation of Germany from the Nazis in 1945 by the Soviets. No mention is made of American troops. The engraving in German across the top says "Glory to the Soviet People."

READING

I knew very little about Martin Luther before this trip, so I went on the hunt for a good biography. There were dozens to choose from. It is said that more books have been written on the eminent theologian than any other figure in Christian history except for Jesus Christ himself. Luckily, I stumbled on Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World by Eric Metaxas. 

I had read and loved Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, both by Metaxas, so I was already primed to like his biography of Luther, and it did not disappoint. 

At 480 pages, it is a lengthy read, but it was an illuminating entry into the life and teachings of the Great Reformer.