Eisenach

Martin Luther at Wartburg Castle

Entrance to Luther's dormitory
_{Photo: Archiv der Wartburgstiftung}

Scarcely any other name and place are so closely associated in the popular mind as Luther and Wartburg Castle. In fact, the religious reformer only spent a relatively short time there, from 4 May 1521 until 1 March 1522, but it was during this period that he translated the Bible into German, an achievement that made Wartburg Castle famous as one of the locations of the Reformation. Strictly speaking, he “only” translated the New Testament his modest cell in the bailiff's lodge in the winter of 1521-1522. The complete Lutheran Bible would take him another twelve years. Luther's translation of the Gospels also started the standardisation of the German language.

How did the church reformer come to be at Wartburg Castle? After his intrepid appearance at the Diet of Worms, Luther was in great danger and clearly had to be taken to a place of safety. A fake kidnapping was staged, which Luther reluctantly took part in - understandably in view of his situation. During the evening of 4 May he was taken into hiding at Wartburg Castle where he transformed himself into Squire George. He let his beard and hair grow long in the style of a knight, wore smart clothes, carried a sword and was soon unrecognisable.

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