Lutheran Campus Ministry

Well…the trip lasted a little longer than anticipated, but what GREAT memories we are all bringing back with us.  I cannot possibly put into words the experiences the students and I shared during this past week and a half.  Tonight during devotion time, each person went around and shared his/her highlights (and lowlights) from the entire trip.  The most common lowlights included lugging bags up and down stairwells and being able to find seats to sit down in on train rides.  On the flip side, however, highlights ranged from feeling more in touch to our Lutheran heritage to becoming more connected to each other to experiencing German dance clubs. 

I shared with the students tonight that I am incredibly grateful for each of them.  It was fun being able to “see” Germany through each of their eyes; to experience traveling abroad through their eyes.  The students made it easy for me to “lead” the pack, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

This is the last entry in our Germany blog.  God willing, we’ll all be flying out of Berlin tomorrow afternoon, catching our connections in London, and then meeting up again in Boston for a few hours before finally heading back home to the Valley on Tuesday.  Thank you again to all of you for your blog comments and prayers.  This trip wouldn’t have been possible without you!

Peace,

Jill Rode 

P.S.  I’m sorry there aren’t any pictures from our last stop in Wittenberg.  We haven’t had the ability to upload pictures the past few days.  However, I’m sure you’ll be seeing plenty of pictures soon once we all return home!

I would like to give my impression of German culture. I think that it is very interesting to see the various similarities and differences in German culture compared to American Culture. For example, everywhere you go, even in the small town of Eisleben there is American music playing. If you go into Music Stores the American music dominates over all others. I wonder if they like the way the music sounds or if they are just interested in the Western culture. The mall in Erfurt has several clothing stores and I thought it would be very cool to buy a T Shirt with German words on it, but when I looked for one I was only able to find ones with English words or phrases. The interest in American culture appeared to dominate German culture, but that was only one side of the story. With older Germans I found that they were a quieter, and more traditional group. They seem to dress modestly and according to the weather, while still looking nice. They seem to enjoy a nice beer or coffee where as the younger Germans seem to be much more like American Youth. The young Germans seem to love American brand names such as Billabong and Levi, or they wear clothing with American bands on them. Also the younger Germans seem to be more talkative and can often be found outside in a group with friends. I was also very shocked to see High School aged German students who were visiting Buchenwald to not take it very seriously. For example they laughed while going through the crematorium. I cannot imagine doing that. These are just some observations that I have made about German culture and it’s blend of Western (American) Pop Culture and of it’s own German history and culture.

-Brett Gall

So, Germany has been awesome so far and, even though the travel delay is a bummer, I’m excited the trip has been extended! I was thinking today how it doesn’t seem to be going by too fast and how everything has been so wonderful. There isn’t any specific thing that was the highlight for me because everything has been so interesting and fun.

It is truly amazing how everything seems to come together, God is definitely traveling with us! Despite the language barrier, points get across and we find out things we need to know. Despite the rainy weather and large group size, we all end up where we need to be. (Except for Tom and Barry getting locked in the Church and me and five others getting off the train a stop too early (it waited for us to get back on)).

We’ve seen so many amazing things! Luther’s original dining room which was impressive back in his day and still is today. Original wood and paint, chairs where he and Katharina would sit and talk, the Bible he translated, a beerstein he actually drank out of, his grave, his personal pulpit, and many churches he has preached in.

The group has gotten so close and we’ve had so much fun. Trying new things, making jokes, learning about each other and all the different cities. I really don’t want it to end, especially because that means school starts back up.

Since we have an extra day, some of us are going to visit Berlin’s Zoo.  We’ll let you know if animals are any different in Germany! We miss you all and can’t wait to come home. Thank you all for making this trip possible for us and for keeping up on this blog! We’ll make the most of these last few days, though its hard to keep running on such little sleep! Can’t wait to show all the pictures and tell all the stories! You guys will probably sick of it not after long! haha. LOVE YOU!

Catherine Willis

Ps. Shout out to my mom, dad, and sister LOVVVEEEEEEYOUUUUUU. and Pastor Gary and Abby! Miss you guys!!

Today, we traveled to Wittenberg, the city where Luther was married, taught as a professor of theology, published the 95 theses, and is buried.

For the history-minded Lutheran, this city is something of a geek’s paradise.

We started our tour in the castle-church where the 95 theses were posted. Inside, the Gothic arches are decorated with Luther roses, and Luther and Melancthon’s graves are prominent in the nave of the sanctuary, along with that of Frederick the Wise. Though it may not have been entirely proper, I couldn’t resist the temptation to have my picture taken at the grave of our famous forefather.

Next, we toured the Lutheran “cathedral” (what was once Catholic but now is bett– I mean, “Reformed”) where the first Lutheran church service was ever held. “A Mighty Fortess is Our God” was debuted there, and famous painter Lucas Cranach the Elder painted a “Last Supper” at a round table with Luther seated as a disciple of Jesus. I like his style, though sometimes he took it a bit too far. Our guide told us that once, his wife complained that he’d never painted her. He promised her that he’d put her in his masterpiece (that altar picture), showing off her “best side.” In the painting, there is a well-dressed woman in a fancy fur coat… with her back to us. Poor Mrs. Cranach.

Later, we visited the monastary-become-home of Martin Luther and Katherine von Bora. Their home is now a museum containing a wealth of important literature, not the least of which includes works by Erasmus and a copy of Luther’s German translation of the Bible. Can you say geek-fest? I swear my European History teacher in high school would have been giddy.

Tonight, we have some free time in Wittenberg. The town is charming; modern in function but true to its Medieval facades. As I write, many of our group are out to dinner. I have my own eye on the various ice cream shops on either side of the street. It’s a little bit dangerous, but oh-so-tasty. I wish Tempe had ice cream counters on the street corners.

Tomorrow, we wrap up our tour! Hard to believe this week has gone past already. I want to take the chance to say thank you to all of you for your support back home. Since I’ve been studying abroad this semester, this trip has been a long-anticipated opportunity to see familiar faces in a foreign land. It’s been really nice. I hope all is well in Tempe and I look forward to see you all in May!

Eric Lehnhardt

The entrance gate to Buchenwald

The crematorium

Today was definitely one of the most powerful days of our trip for the students.  As many mentioned in our nightly devotion tonight, it’s one thing to read about the horrors and atrocities committed during the Nazi regime, while it’s another experience entirely to walk around and see the remains of the actual camp location where thousands of Jews, political enemies, gypsies, and homosexuals were killed.  This experience has no doubt left a lasting impact on all of us.

- Jill

Today we went to the Buchenwald concentration camp in the morning and in the evening we shopped in the evening we shopped in the beautiful little shops here in Erfurt. I had a great time shopping but the concentration camp made such an impression on me that I’m just going to write about that.

We took a train and then a bus to Buchenwald and the bus drove us outside of town into a forest. I found out later that all the SS guards took a bus down that road to work every day. When we got to the camp, I could not believe how huge it was. It was strange to see the green trees, tan rocks and blue sky, because I only ever saw black and white photos. My image of it was so wrong.

Today most of the buildings are gone but a few are still standing, like the big building at the entrance with the gate and the crematorium. The entrance building also houses prison cells where certain inmates were tortured. I walked down the center hallway and I felt my steps paralell those of the SS prison guards in their heavy black boots. There were dark stains on the concrete floors of the cells.

Then we headed to one edge of the camp, where the original barbed wire is still hanging on the fence. I knew that thousands of inmates had dreamt of escape and then saw the barbed wire and remembered that escape was impossible. Later I learned no one ever successfully escaped from Buchenwald.

I felt myself trace the path of the guards again while walking briskly past the outlines of the old inmates barracks. Several times I looked at something and imagined how all the prisoners interpreted that same thing, like the gate or the chimney. I think I felt the comparison of my experience to theirs so strongly because many of the people at Buchenwald were around my age. Towards the end of the Holocaust, 1 in 3 of the inmates there were under 20. Many of the SS guards were new high school or college graduates who were convinced that the position was a fantastic career opportunity, and they were trained at Buchenwald. 

Even though we learned lots of depressing and horrific things, we also learned of some human triumph. There were numerous resistance groups organized by political prisoners, who had lots of experience with that sort of thing. The groups kept children alive with extra food and they tried to shift supplies to those who needed them most. The inmates who were forced to manufacture weapons for the Nazis sabotaged them by making hidden mistakes. And days after the camp began being liberated, the inmates and Allied soldiers held a memorial ceremony for all those who died. Now there is a commemorative plaque on that spot which is kept at human body temperature twenty-four hours a day. (It really is, I touched it).

Ultimately, this experience was so emotional and eerie that I know I will remember it forever. I walked out thinking that really I should never complain or worry, because no suffering in my life will ever equal anything that happened there.

Jessica Beckmann

As a history major who has grown up learning about the Holocaust and the concentration camps over the years in only an academic setting it was exciting yet terrifying what we were about to see as we took the bus to the camp. Once we got there our group toured the site and little was said between one and another during our time there. It was evident that everyone had the same thoughts and were deeply moved as we walked the grounds of  Buchenwald.  Hearing some of the impressions following the tour as we took the train back to Erfurt it was clear no one left the camp without coming away with a deeper compassion and respect for the human life.

-Tom

Hello people in Arizona! If my family is reading this I miss you all very much and I have alot to tell you!

Today we went to Buchenwald Concentrate Camp today.  It was incredibly sad  and when I was leaving I felt sick to my stomach.  Although despite the sadness I am glad, in a way that I got to see it.  Although just so you guys know, they had a zoo for the enjoyment of the SS officers and their families near the place where they put the corpses of the prisoners in piles and in ovens, which I thought was the cruelist part.

We are currently staying in Erfurt, a.k.a. the most adorable town ever.  Seriously I want to pack this town up and put in my pocket to take home.  I am excited to see other parts of Germany, but sad to leave this adorable town.

Sorry if this is scattered I only have ten minutes.

Luther is everywhere in Germany, he even has his own beer!  And there have been statues of him in every town we have been in, which makes me wonder if the people that live here are just sick of him already.  It amazes me that everything here is so old, churches from the 1400’s or later are next to a coffeshop that has apartments on it.

I wish I knew more of the language.  I feel almost like a child not knowing what anyone is saying and such.

I can not fit all of my amazement and my good times into this blog.  We have seen so much in such a small amount of time. I am so grateful and happy that I was able to experience this trip.  Again, to my family, thank you, this has been the most amazing experience I have had yet, even if I am injured.  But thats just a minor blip. 

Family: I miss you so much.  I am trying to find you souviners but its difficult.  I can’t wait to tell you about all of the fun I am having when I get back on Sunday, hopefully.

Live<3Laugh<3Love

-Kristen

Today was an early morning. We got up and took a trip to Wartburg Castle. It was amazing! I could not believe that something 800 years old could be still standing! My favorite room was covered entirly in glass tiles. It was inlaied in the 1900’s and told the story of St. Elisebeth. After the tour James and I took a trip to the tower. At the top it was very windy, but from it you can see all of Eisenach. To one side is the city, and the other rolling hills. Once we got back to town, many of the people in our group enjoyed bratwursts and German pastries. The town was small, but there was plenty of shops to see. Overall though I still think Erfurt is my favorite. It is a nice mix of city life with a small town feel.  Auf Wiedersehen for now!

- Megan Kesler

Hi all!

So far this has been an amazing trip besides it being freezing cold at times.  Today we went to the Wartburg Castle, the place Martin Luther voluntarily hid for 10 months and during those 10 months he translated the New Testament into German from Greek.  It was one of the first tours that wasn’t all about Luther and that made things interesting as well. But, the best part of it was the Luther part, and I ALMOST missed it. Luther hid out in a small room in one part of the castle for 10 months and it was towards the end of the tour, I was tired, and everyone else was in the small room, so I was like “ok, I can just move on.” Luckily I asked someone what the room was and they said it was were Luther hid and I was thankful that I didn’t skip this because it was by far one of the coolest parts of the tour!  Besides that the trip has been amazing; having time to bond with new people from LCM that I can go home and have as friends AND learning about Luther.  There have been a ton of laughs and so far no one has killed anyone yet. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.

Lacey Rhoades