Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is the fourth-largest town in the state of

Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt ( ; ) is a States of Germany, state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.17 million inhabitants, making it the List of German states ...

, in the

Federal Republic of Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen constituent states have a total population of over 84 ...

. It is situated on the

River Elbe The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper Sorbian, Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Ge ...

, north of

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

and south-west of the reunified German federal capital city of

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

, and has a population of 46,008 (2018). Wittenberg has close connections with

Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...

(1483–1546) and the 16th century religious / theological movement of

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

begun here in the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

, and the large branch of

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two subdivisions of Christianity (Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Protestantism, Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the O ...

started here of Evangelical Lutheranism, for which it received the honorific title '' Lutherstadt'' and has been called the "cradle of the Reformation" and "cradle of

". Several of Wittenberg's buildings are associated with the historical / religious events, including a preserved part of the Augustinian

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

of the local community of the world-wide

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

Order of St. Augustine in which Luther lived, first as a celibate

monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

and later as property owner with his later wife

Katharina von Bora Katharina von Bora (; 29 January 1499? – 20 December 1552), after her wedding Katharina Luther, also referred to as "die Lutherin" ('the Lutheress'), was the wife of the German reformer Martin Luther and a seminal figure of the Protestant Ref ...

(c. 1499–1552), and family. Wittenberg was also the seat of the prince

Elector of Saxony The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony ( or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806 initially centred on Wittenberg that came to include areas around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. It was a ...

, a dignity held by the dukes of the

Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg () was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. The Ascanian dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity until ...

, making it one of the most powerful cities in the thousand-years-old

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

(A.D. c.800 / 962–1806) in Central Europe. Today Wittenberg is an industrial centre and tourist destination, with an intact historic centre and various additional memorial sites dedicated to Martin Luther and his friend and fellow theologian / reformer Melanchthon, author of the

Evangelical Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

seminal theological document of the

Augsburg Confession The Augsburg Confession (), also known as the Augustan Confession or the Augustana from its Latin name, ''Confessio Augustana'', is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheranism, Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of th ...

of 1530. The buildings associated with those two figures were added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

(

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, scien ...

) designated

World Heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

list in 1996, along with other sites in nearby

Eisleben Eisleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is famous as both the hometown of the influential theologian Martin Luther and the place where he died; hence, its official name is Lutherstadt Eisleben. First mentioned in the late 10th century ...

, because of their religious significance and testimony to one of the most influential religious, political and social movements of world history from the Medieval / Middle Ages era in the

History of Europe The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD 500), the Middle Ages (AD 500–1500), and the modern era (since AD 1500). The first early Euro ...

History

Historical documents first mention the settlement in 1180 as a small village founded by Flemish colonists under the rule of the

House of Ascania The House of Ascania () was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Principality of Anhalt, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ' ...

. In 1260 this village became the residence of the dukes of

Saxe-Wittenberg The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg () was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. The Ascanian dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity until ...

, and in 1293 the settlement was granted its

town charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally, the granting of a charter ...

as a free-standing town. Wittenberg developed into an important trade centre during the following few centuries because of its central location. When the local branch of the Ascanians died out in 1422, control of Saxe-Wittenberg passed to the

House of Wettin The House of Wettin () was a dynasty which included Saxon monarch, kings, Prince Elector, prince-electors, dukes, and counts, who once ruled territories in the present-day German federated states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynas ...

. The town became an important regional political and cultural centre at the end of the 15th century when Frederick III "the Wise", the Elector of Saxony from 1486 to 1525, made his residence in Wittenberg. Several parts of the boundaries of the town were extended soon afterwards. The second bridge over the

Elbe River The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Germany and flo ...

was built between 1487 and 1490 and the castle church (the ''Schlosskirche'' in German) was erected between 1496 and 1506. The Elector's palace was rebuilt at the same time. In 1502 , Elector Frederick founded the

University of Wittenberg Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (), also referred to as MLU, is a public research university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg. It is the largest and oldest university in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. MLU offers German and i ...

, which attracted some writers such as Luther, —a professor of theology beginning in 1508 — and Melanchthon (1497–1560) — a friend and disciple along with a theologian and professor of Greek starting a decade later in 1518. On 31 October 1517, according to legend, Luther nailed his "95 Theses" against the selling of

indulgence In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins". The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission bef ...

s to the huge wooden double-doors front entrance (which longtime served as an informal bulletin board for the parish and local academic community) of the All Saints' Church / Castle Church – an event taken as marking the beginning of the

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

and the start of a major branch of

of Evangelical Ltheranism. The more radical later Protestant group of the

Anabaptist Anabaptism (from Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism'; , earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re-baptizers"), considering it biased. ...

movement also had one of its earliest homes in Wittenberg, when the Zwickau prophets moved there in late 1521 only to be suppressed by upset and angry Luther when he returned from temporary hiding and exile at the remote hilltop

Wartburg Castle The Wartburg () is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, th ...

in the spring of 1522. There he had spent months of time, effort and research into translating the texts in the languages

ancient Hebrew Ancient Hebrew (ISO 639-3 code ) is a blanket term for pre-modern varieties of the Hebrew language: * Paleo-Hebrew (such as the Siloam inscription), a variant of the Phoenician alphabet * Biblical Hebrew (including the use of Tiberian vocalization ...

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

and

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

and manuscripts of the

Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...

and

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

in the Bible into then common 16th century version of their German language so that the Christian lay people could read the Holy Scriptures in Luther's Bible in their own tongue. Wittenberg-1536

The

Capitulation of Wittenberg Wittenberg-1556

The Capitulation of Wittenberg () was a treaty on 1 ...

(1547) is the name given to the treaty by which John Frederick the Magnanimous was compelled to resign the electoral dignity and most of his territory to the Albertine branch of the noble

During the 18th century in 1760, during the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

(1753 / 1756–1763, the military forces of the

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

of the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...

bombarded the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...

's Royal Prussian Army, which occupied the town. Warfare again touched Wittenberg by the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

of neighboring France far to the west, took control in 1806, during the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

(1803–1815) and

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

(1769–1821), (Emperor

Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

commanded the refortification of around the edges of town in 1813. The following year in 1814, the Royal Prussian Army under Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien had returned now a half-century later, this time storming the outskirts of Wittenberg; he received the title of "von Wittenberg" as a battle reward. Following the fall and exile of Napoleon in 1814 and 1815, and as a result of the negotiations at the ensuing major European peace conference at the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...

, in the capital of

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, Austria, Wittenberg and

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

was transferred to became part of the

mostly further to the north and east, and administered within the

Province of Saxony The Province of Saxony (), also known as Prussian Saxony (), was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1944. Its capital was Magdeburg. It was formed by the merger of various territories ceded ...

. Wittenberg continued to be a fortress and military post of the third class during the rest of the 19th century with the reorganisation of German defences until later dismantled two years after the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

of 1870–1871. That important Central Europe conflict resulting in the organization and proclamation of the

German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...

in 1871, which endured under the rule of the

German Emperor The German Emperor (, ) was the official title of the head of state and Hereditary monarchy, hereditary ruler of the German Empire. A specifically chosen term, it was introduced with the 1 January 1871 constitution and lasted until the abdicati ...

from the

House of Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, ; , ; ) is a formerly royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) German dynasty whose members were variously princes, Prince-elector, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern Castle, Hohenzollern, Margraviate of Bran ...

in Berlin until the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

A prisoner-of-war camp outside of town from 1914 to 1918 was built and set up. A camp was set up at Klein Wittenberg, from the city. Eight compounds held 13,000 men of soldiers, sailors and pilots captured from the Allied armies of several opposing enemy nations. During the typhus epidemic of 1914–1915, conditions were harsh. The camp medical officer, Dr. Aschenbach who supposedly did the best he could, was later awarded the Imperial German military decoration of the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

for his part in the epidemic. The award however was controversial and later questioned by the Allies, who won the conflict. The use of dogs to attack P.O.W.'s was mentioned and criticised by the

United States Ambassador to Germany The United States has had diplomatic relations with the nation of Germany under its various forms of governments and leaders since 1871, and its principal predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Prussia, since 1835. These relations were broken twice ...

from 1913 to 1917,

James W. Gerard James Watson Gerard III (August 25, 1867 – September 6, 1951) was a United States lawyer, diplomat, and justice of the New York Supreme Court. Early life Gerard was born in Geneseo, New York. His father, James Watson Gerard Jr., was a law ...

. His book of the era was later produced by the Hollywood motion pictures industry as a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

" My Four Years in Germany", in 1918. Unlike many other historic German cities during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Wittenberg's town centre was spared destruction during the conflict. The

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...

agreed not to bomb Wittenberg, though fighting took place in the town, with bullet pock-marks visible on the statues of Luther and Melanchthon in the market square – or so the popular version of the town's history goes. In actual fact the Luther statue was not even present in the town square during much of the war but in storage at Luther Brunnen, a roadhouse a few kilometres north of the town. Wittenberg's reputation as a town protected from Allied bombing is largely accurate. However, just outside Wittenberg the government had built the '' Arado Flugzeugwerke'' (the Arado Aircraft Factory), which produced components of airplanes for the

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

. This war factory was worked by Jews, Russians, Poles,

political prisoner A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention. There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although ...

s and even a few Americans—all prisoners engaging in

forced labour Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, or violence, including death or other forms of ...

, including POW's who were supposed to be exempt from this sort of labor. American and British planes bombed the factory near the end of the war, and in destroying it killed over one thousand of the prisoners and POW's placed by the Germans in this war plant. The 1995 publication of ''"...und morgen war Krieg!"'' by Renate Gruber-Lieblich attempts to document this tragic bombing outside Wittenberg. In 1945, Wittenberg issued 19 of its own postage stamps, each depicting Hitler but with a large black round overprint covering his face. At the end of the war, Soviet forces occupied Wittenberg; it became part of

East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...

in 1949. During the East German period, it formed part of Halle District. By means of the

peaceful revolution The Peaceful Revolution () – also, in German called ' (, "the turning point") – was one of the peaceful revolutions of 1989 at the peak of the collapse of the Eastern Bloc in the late 1980s. A process of sociopolitical change that led to, am ...

in 1989, the communist régime dissolved and the town has been governed democratically since 1990. Wittenberg is currently characterized by renovation and new construction work, an economic recovery and tourism development as a "place of pilgrimage for the Reformation". With the Luther Decade starting in 2008, the city began preparing for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which took place in 2017. Numerous buildings have been restored, the infrastructure has been partially renewed and numerous new attractions have been created in the city (e.g. the new Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hauptbahnhof, Arsenal shopping centre, Luthergarden or the Panometer). In 2014 Lutherstadt Wittenberg was awarded the honorary title European City of the Reformation by the

Community of Protestant Churches in Europe The Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE; German: ''Gemeinschaft Evangelischer Kirchen in Europa'', GEKE) is a fellowship of over 100 Protestant churches which have signed the Leuenberg Agreement. Together they strive for realizing ...

Historical population

The figures are given for the metropolitan district at the point in time. Up to 1791 the figures are generally estimated, later figures are from census or local authorities. Wittenberg Einwohner

Source: 2012 census.

Divisions

The town Wittenberg consists of Wittenberg proper and the following ''Ortschaften'' or municipal divisions:Hauptsatzung der Lutherstadt Wittenberg
§ 17, 16 December 2020. * Abtsdorf * Apollensdorf * Boßdorf * Griebo * Kropstädt * Mochau * Nudersdorf * Pratau * Reinsdorf * Schmilkendorf * Seegrehna * Straach

Climate

Wittenberg has a typical

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Cfb''; Trewartha: ''Dobk'') with cool winters and warm summers. The average temperature in Wittenberg ranges from in winter to in summer, with the average temperature from May to September being above . Winter begins in early October and spring begins in mid-April of the following year. There are 14.1 days of daytime high temperatures exceeding each year, and about 18 days of daytime maximum temperatures below freezing each winter. The Wittenberg weather station has recorded the following extreme values: * Highest Temperature on 9 August 1992. * Warmest Minimum on 7 August 2015. * Coldest Maximum on 1 February 1956. * Lowest Temperature on 2 February 1956. * Highest Daily Precipitation on 27 July 2016. * Wettest Month in July 1954. * Wettest Year in 2007. * Driest Year in 2018. * Earliest Snowfall: 30 October 1940. * Latest Snowfall: 29 April 1985. * Longest annual sunshine: 2,117.7 hours in 2018. * Shortest annual sunshine: 1,388.1 hours in 1977.

Sights and culture

Lutherstadt Wittenberg has a wide range of cultural sites. Most are located within the historic old town along the ''Wittenberg Culture Mile''. Wittenberg Lutherhaus courtyard

Wittenberg is home to numerous historical sites, as well as portraits and other paintings by

Lucas Cranach the Elder Lucas Cranach the Elder ( ; – 16 October 1553) was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is known for his portraits, both of German ...

and Younger. On the doors of All Saints' Church, the ''Schlosskirche'' ("castle church", built in 1496–1506) Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses in 1517. It was seriously damaged by fire in 1760 during a bombardment by the French during the

, was practically rebuilt, and was later (1885–1892) restored. The wooden doors, burnt in 1760, were replaced in 1858 by bronze doors, bearing the

text of the theses. Inside the church are the tombs of Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, Johannes Bugenhagen, Paul Eber and of the electors Frederick the Wise (by Peter Vischer the Younger, 1527) and John the Constant (by Hans Vischer), and portraits of the reformers by Lucas Cranach the Younger, who is also buried in the church. St. Mary's Church, the parish church in which Luther often preached, was built in the 14th century, but has been much altered since Luther's time. It contains a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, representing the

Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, ''The Last Supper (Leonardo), The Last Supper'' (1495-1498). Mural, tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic ...

(with the faces of Luther and other reformers), Baptism and Confession, also a font by Hermann Vischer the Elder (1457). In addition, there are numerous historic paintings in the church. The ancient electoral palace is another of the buildings that suffered severely in 1760; it now contains archives. Martin Luther's home, the Lutherhaus, where he studied and lived both before and after the Reformation, is now a museum containing many artifacts from his life. Melanchthon's house and the house of Lucas Cranach the Elder, mayor of Wittenberg, can also be found here. Statues of Luther (by Schadow), Melanchthon and Bugenhagen embellish the town. The spot outside the Elster Gate where Luther publicly burned the

papal bull A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal ...

in 1520 is marked by an oak tree. The original

Wittenberg University Wittenberg University (officially Wittenberg College) is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio. It has 1,326 full-time students drawn from 33 states and 9 foreign countries. Wittenberg University is associated with the Evangelical ...

quadrangle also lies in the city centre.

Buildings

Churches

= Schlosskirche

One of the town's main attractions is the Schlosskirche (Castle Church), most notably associated with the publication of Martin Luther's 95 Theses, a bold attack on the Roman Catholic Church's practice of indulgences. The castle church was remodelled between 1883 and 1892. According to the intentions of the builders, the world-historical significance of the castle church was to be expressed. In the spirit of the

historicism Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...

period, the statement was related to the precursors and bearers of the Reformation, thus creating a Reformation memorial. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the posting of the theses in 2017, the church was extensively renovated.

= Stadtkirche Wittenberg

= St. Mary's Town Church and Parish Church is the mother church of the Reformation. The first Protestant service was held in it in 1521 by

Justus Jonas the Elder Justus (died on 10 November between 627 and 631) was the fourth archbishop of Canterbury. Pope Gregory the Great sent Justus from Italy to England on a mission to Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England, Christianise the Anglo-Saxons fr ...

and

Andreas Bodenstein Andreas Rudolph Bodenstein von Karlstadt (148624 December 1541), better known as Andreas Karlstadt, Andreas Carlstadt or Karolostadt, in Latin, Carolstadius, or simply as Andreas Bodenstein, was a German Protestant Christian theologian, theologi ...

of Karlstadt. As Martin Luther's preaching church, it was the

official church of the general superintendents of the Saxon

Kurkreis The Electoral Circle (), which was renamed in 1807 as the Wittenberg Circle (), was a historical territory that mostly emerged from the heartlands of the former Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg. The circle (or district) was created in the reign of Freder ...

. After the

it became the official residence of the Wittenberg superintendents. The artistic decoration is well preserved and includes works by

and

Lucas Cranach the Younger Lucas Cranach the Younger (, ; 4 October 1515 – 25 January 1586) was a German Renaissance painter and portraitist, the son of Lucas Cranach the Elder and brother of Hans Cranach. Life and career Lucas Cranach the Younger was born in Wittenber ...

. Epitaphs on the interior and exterior walls refer to the work of many important personalities. The cemetery chapel of the Holy Corpse stands to the south of the town church and once belonged to the walled cemetery area of the church.

= Unbefleckte Empfängnis Catholic Church

= The church on Mauerstraße was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

in 1872 by Bishop Konrad Martin. It was renovated in 1999/2000.

= Christ Church

= Christ Church was built as another church in 1907/1908 in the suburb of Kleinwittenberg in historicist forms.

Other buildings

= Augusteum and Luther House

= The representative showcase building Augusteum was once an extension of the University of Wittenberg "Leucorea". In the inner courtyard of the Augusteum is the former home of Martin Luther. Today, the building houses the Reformation History Museum with its collections of pictures, writings and contemporary exhibits from the

era

= Melanchthon House

= The architectural style of the Melanchthon House in Collegienstraße, which expresses the self-confident modernity of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

, is an architectural sight. In this house the reformer Philipp Melanchthon lived and died. It houses an exhibition. In 2013, the house received an extension according to plans by the architects Dietsch & Weber from Halle made of grey brick.

= University ''Leucorea'' Wittenberg

= Founded in 1502, the

Martin Luther and Melanchthon spent time at the University of Leucorea in Collegienstraße.

= Hamlethaus

The Hamlethaus in Collegienstraße blends into the ensemble of the town.

= Bugenhagenhaus

= The Bugenhagen House next to the town church is the oldest Protestant vicarage in the world and is one of the most significant memorials to the Reformation. Until 1997, it was the residence and place of work of the Wittenberg superintendents without interruption since the Reformation. Johannes Bugenhagen was the first pastor to live here until his death in 1558. Between 2004 and 2007, the building was thoroughly renovated and now serves as a spiritual community and meeting centre.

= Stadthaus

The Stadthaus is a modern building complex on Arsenalplatz that includes several historic buildings. Their origins date back to the 13th century. The town house contains significant remains of the medieval building fabric of the former monastery church of the

Franciscans The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest conte ...

, which in turn was used as the burial place of the Ascanians. As early as 1536, the building was converted into a granary by Conrad Theiß and heavily remodelled by adding several levels. The medieval windows were closed and pouring openings were installed. During the

, the building was severely damaged and rebuilt with a lower building height. Several building activities in the following period have greatly changed the appearance of the building. At the end of the 19th century, for example, one storey was added and large window openings were broken in on the south side. Between 1945 and 1992, Arsenal Square with the town house was occupied by the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

and therefore inaccessible. On the site of the former Franciscan monastery, the city's Central Visitors' Reception was opened in 2014/2015. It includes the event centre Stadthaus, the

Historical City Information History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

, the Council Archive and the Tourist and City Information Centre.

= Altes Rathaus and Marktplatz

In the centre of the old town is the market square, where a ensemble of town houses has grown up over the centuries. On it are the Renaissance town hall, the monuments to

(designed by Schadow) and Philipp Melanchthon (by

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

), as well as the Marktbrunnen. Since the town administration has been located in the former Tauentzien barracks in Lutherstraße beginning in 2000 (New Town Hall), the town hall on the market square has been called the Old Town Hall and has since served more representative purposes.

= Cranach-Höfe

= The Cranach Courts attest to the work of

Hans Cranach Hans Cranach (ca. 1513–1537), also known as Johann Lucas Cranach, was a German painter, the oldest son of Lucas Cranach the Elder. German art historian Johann Christian Schuchardt, who discovered his existence, credits him with an altar-piece ...

Augustin Cranach Augustin Cranach (1554 — 26 July 1595) was a German painter. He was born and died in Wittenberg, and was the son of Lucas Cranach the Younger and Magdalena Schurff. He was the father of Lucas Cranach III. See also * List of German painters ...

, and Lucas Cranach III in Wittenberg. The building at Markt 4 and the pharmacy with the courtyard at Schlossstraße 1 show points of contact with Lucas Cranach and his descendants. Lucas Cranach the Elder set up his own print shop in the once-famous printing town of Wittenberg. Among other things, the 95 Theses, the first part of the Luther Bible, Luther's Table Talks, and numerous woodcuts were printed here. After the reconstruction of the Cranach courtyards, a historic print shop was re-established in Schlossstrasse, where texts (e.g. Luther's table speeches) and illustrations (in linocut) are now produced as privately printed matter using the letterpress process. The historical Gutenberg press in the Cranachhof at Markt 4 demonstrates how printing was done in the Middle Ages.

= Wittenberg Castle

= Wittenberg Castle is the former residence of the Saxon Electors. After being destroyed in 1760 and 1814, it was used as a barracks as part of the defensive fortifications. Since the

, the castle has served civilian purposes.

Museums

* '' Cranach-Höfe'', Markt 4 (changing exhibitions) * '' Altes Rathaus'' (changing exhibitions) * ''Christian Art Foundation Wittenberg'' with a permanent exhibition and changing special exhibitions in Wittenberg Castle (access via visitor centre) * ''Haus der Geschichte'' (20th century housing culture and in particular that of the former GDR), Schlossstraße 6 *

Museum of Municipal Collections in the Zeughaus The Museum of Municipal Collections in the Zeughaus (german: Museum der städtischen Sammlungen im Zeughaus) is an interdisciplinary exhibition building in Wittenberg that presents objects from archaeology and urban history, as well as natural his ...

(city history;

Julius Riemer Julius Riemer (4 April 1880, Berlin – 17 November 1958, Lutherstadt Wittenberg) was a German factory owner, natural history and ethnological collector and museum founder. Life as a factory owner and collector Julius Riemer grew up as the firs ...

collection: natural history, ethnology), Arsenalplatz * Science Center futurea, Markt 25 * Historical City Information and burial place of the Ascanians in the monastery church, Arsenalplatz

Other sights

* Luthereiche at the southern end of Lutherstraße, where Martin Luther burned the Bull of Banishment of the Pope in 1520, thus completing his separation from the Roman Catholic Church. * Röhrwasser, historical water supply system. In the 16th century, the steady growth of the population of the town of Wittenberg made a supply of fresh and clear water increasingly necessary. The existing wells and streams were no longer sufficient, as they were increasingly polluted with rubbish. The tubewater changed all that. With the tube water connection, fresh spring water was available to the citizens day and night, summer and winter. It was not until 1883 that the tubewater lost its importance due to the central water supply. Today, the Wittenberg tube water system with its 20 or so existing wells is the only functioning tube water supply system from the Middle Ages north of the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

and thus a technical monument. Since 2002, parts of the streams flowing through the town have been opened up. * Ratsarchiv Wittenberg, Juristentrasse 16. * Kirchliches Forschungsheim, Friedrichstrasse 1a. * Luthergarten, park with 270 trees from all over the world near the castle on Kurfürstenring (formerly Hallesche Straße). * Panoramic circular image '' Luther 1517'' by Yadegar Asisi, Wilhelm-Weber-Straße near the Lutherhaus * Tierpark Wittenberg (Zoological Garden), Juristenstraße. * Alaris Butterfly Park, Rothemarkstraße. * K-Building (Kommandantengebäude), to house the planned study collection of the municipal collections, with attached lecture and conference centre, Juristenstrasse 14

Coat of arms

Wittenberg's civic

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

conveys with its various heraldic elements something of the town's history. On 27 June 1293, Wittenberg was granted

town rights Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...

by Duke Albert II. There then arose a mediaeval town whose highest governing body was its council. This council, known to have existed as early as 1317, was given the job of administering the town in its care through law and legislation, and of handling the town's revenue. For documentation, the administration used its own seal. One version of what is believed to be the town's oldest town seal, which the council used, and which dated from the first half of the 14th century, set the pattern with its elements for various civic coats of arms down to the present day. The coat of arms symbolizes, with its crenelated wall and the towers within and each side, a town that was already strongly fortified by 1409. The two shields in the centre form the coat of arms of the Electorate of Saxony with the Saxon arms on the right, whose gold and black stripes recall the Ascanian rulers' house colours with the ''Rautenkranz'' or

crancelin Crancelin (or "crown of rue") is a charge in heraldry, usually seen in the bend on a shield. It depicts a band of a stylized trefoil leaves, representing a branch of common rue (''Ruta graveolens''). It can be found in the coat of arms of Saxon ...

(literally "

rue ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of the genus '' Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Mediterranean. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for i ...

wreath"; see the

article for more) across them symbolizing the town's founder Duke Albrecht II since 1262, when it appeared in his arms. The shield on the left is the Wittenberg district's arms. In 1356, Emperor Charles IV bestowed upon the Duke of Saxony-Wittenberg the honour of Elector. Wittenberg became an Electoral residence. The shield with its crossed swords stands for the office of "Arch-Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire" inextricably joined by the Electorate, brought to Wittenberg by Rudolf I. Both coats of arms continued to be used by the Wettins after the Ascanians died out. The flowing water at the foot of the shield symbolizes Wittenberg's location on the River Elbe. The fish is a

salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

, which as once abundant in the Elbe. The

fishermen A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishermen may be professional or recr ...

, like all professions in town, got their own order in 1422, and the fish found its way onto their coat of arms.

Economy and infrastructure

The town is a centre of the

chemical industry The chemical industry comprises the companies and other organizations that develop and produce industrial, specialty and other chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, the chemical industry converts raw materials ( oil, natural gas, air, ...

with the . The whole area of the industrial park covers more than 220 hectares with more than 1,500 workers. Tourism plays a major role. Wittenberg is one of the top destinations in Saxony-Anhalt. Lutherstadt Wittenberg station is the main railway station. It connects Wittenberg hourly with

to the north and

and

Halle (Saale) Halle (Saale), or simply Halle (), is the second largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is the sixth-most populous city in the area of former East Germany after (East Berlin, East) Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Chem ...

to the south. The station was rebuilt to be more environmentally friendly and re-opened in December 2016. File:Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hauptbahnhof (1).jpg, The new Lutherstadt Wittenberg station in 2017 File:Elbbrücke Wittenberg.JPG, The Elbe bridge is part of the Bundesstraße 2 federal highway File:Piesteritz SKW.JPG, The 'SKW Piesteritz' industrial area File:Elbe in Wittenberg.jpg, The

Elbe The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper Sorbian, Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Ge ...

connects Wittenberg with

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

and

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

Theatre, culture and education

Wittenberg has a long tradition of cultural events. The Central German State Theatre (''Mitteldeutsches Landestheater'') reached great importance in GDR times. Since 1996, the town has staged open-air theatre shows based on the Lutheran history still alive in many historical places of the ancient town. As highlights, in 2001 and 2005, Fernando Scarpa became the

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogu ...

of the ''"Bühne Wittenberg"'' (Stage Wittenberg), a project for theatre, art and culture in the whole of Germany which attracts many visitors to the town and whose success is known European-wide. On 2002 and 2003 Stefano Vagnini, Italian composer and organist created the music for ''Thesys'' and ''Luther Stories''. Wittenberg is the seat of the Leucorea which is part of the

Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (), also referred to as MLU, is a public university, public research university in the cities of Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Halle and Wittenberg. It is the largest and oldest university in the German State o ...

, the largest university in Saxony-Anhalt.

Personalities from the 19th to the 21st century

Not only the men of the Reformation era Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon and Lucas Cranach left their mark on Wittenberg. Much more than in its role as the capital of

Kursachsen The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony ( or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806 initially centred on Wittenberg that came to include areas around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. It was a ...

and as the residential town of Saxony-Wittenberg, the city was shaped by the university. The names and dates of many personalities are recorded on memorial plaques on the houses in the old town.

1801–1850

Johann Friedrich von Brandt Johann Friedrich von Brandt (25 May 1802 – 15 July 1879) was a German-Russian natural history, naturalist, who worked mostly in Russia. Brandt was born in Jüterbog and educated at a Gymnasium (school), gymnasium in Wittenberg and the Humboldt ...

(* 1802 in Jüterbog; † 1879 in Merreküll), medical doctor and naturalist *

Friedrich Drake Friedrich Drake (23 June 1805 – 6 April 1882) was a German Sculpture, sculptor and Medalist, medallist, best known for his huge memorial statues. Biography He was the son of a mechanic and served an apprenticeship as a Turning, turner in Mi ...

(* 1805 in Pyrmont; † 1882 in Berlin), sculptor *

Friedrich Wilhelm Ritschl Friedrich Wilhelm Ritschl (6 April 1806 – 9 November 1876), a first cousin of theologian Albrecht Ritschl, was a German scholar best known for his studies of Plautus. Biography Ritschl was born in Großvargula, in present-day Thuringia. Hifa ...

(* 1806 in Großvargula; † 1876 in Leipzig), philologist. * Johann Hinrich Wichern (* 1808 in Hamburg; † 1881 in Hamburg), theologian *

Johann Gottfried Galle Johann Gottfried Galle (9 June 1812 – 10 July 1910) was a German astronomer from Radis, Germany, at the Berlin Observatory who, on 23 September 1846, with the assistance of student Heinrich Louis d'Arrest, was the first person to view the p ...

(* 1812 in Pabsthaus; † 1910 in Potsdam), astronomer *

Werner von Siemens Ernst Werner Siemens ( von Siemens from 1888; ; ; 13 December 1816 – 6 December 1892) was a German electrical engineer, inventor and industrialist. Siemens's name has been adopted as the SI unit of electrical conductance, the siemens. He ...

(* 1816 in Lenthe; † 1892 Berlin), industrialist, founder of electrical engineering * Karl Wilhelm Nitzsch (* 1818 in Zerbst; † 1880 in Berlin), historian *

Adalbert Falk Paul Ludwig Adalbert Falk (10 August 18277 July 1900) was a German politician. Falk was born in Metschkau (Mieczków), Silesia. In 1847, he entered the Prussian state service, and in 1853, he became public prosecutor at Lyck (now Ełk). In 1 ...

(* 1827 in Metschkau; † 1900 in Hamm), Prussian minister of culture, honorary citizen of Wittenberg

1851–1900

Karl Lamprecht Karl Gotthard Lamprecht (25 February 1856 – 10 May 1915) was a German historian who specialized in German art and economic history. Biography Lamprecht was born in Jessen in the Province of Saxony. As a student, he trained in history, politic ...

(* 1856 in Jessen; † 1915 in Leipzig), historian *

Nathan Söderblom Lars Olof Jonathan Söderblom (; 15 January 1866 – 12 July 1931) was a Swedish bishop. He was the Church of Sweden Archbishop of Uppsala from 1914 to 1931, and recipient of the 1930 Nobel Peace Prize. He is commemorated in the Calendar of ...

(* 1866 in Trönö; † 1931 in Uppsala), theologian, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, honorary citizen of Wittenberg *

Otto Kleinschmidt Otto Kleinschmidt (13 December 1870 – 25 March 1954) was a German Ornithology, ornithologist, Theology, theologist and pastor. He was also an artist and taxidermist who produced specimens and illustrations of birds for his writings. He was crit ...

(* 1870 in Geinsheim 1870; † 1954 in Wittenberg), natural scientist. * Otto Dibelius (* 1880 in Berlin; † 1967 in West Berlin), theologian *

(* 1880 in Berlin; 1958 in Wittenberg), museum founder * Else Hertzer (*1884 in Wittenberg; † 1978 in West Berlin), expressionist painter *

Otto Rasch Emil Otto Rasch (7 December 1891 – 1 November 1948) was a high-ranking German Nazi official and Holocaust perpetrator, who commanded '' Einsatzgruppe C'' in northern and central Ukraine until October 1941. After World War II, Rasch was indicte ...

(* 1891 in Friedrichsruh; † 1948 in Nuremberg), Lord Mayor 1934–36, as commander of Einsatzgruppe C responsible, among other things, for the massacre of Babyn Yar *

Hermann Oberth Hermann Julius Oberth (; 25 June 1894 – 28 December 1989) was an Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian-born German physicist and rocket pioneer of Transylvanian Saxons, Transylvanian Saxon descent. Oberth supported Nazi Germany's war effort and re ...

(* 1894 in Hermannstadt; † 1989 in Nuremberg), nuclear physicist

1901–1945

* Erwin Wickert (* 1915 in Bralitz; † 2008 in Remagen), diplomat and writer *

Konrad Wolf Konrad Wolf (20 October 1925 – 7 March 1982) was an East Germany, East German film director. He was the son of writer, doctor and diplomat Friedrich Wolf (writer), Friedrich Wolf, and the younger brother of Stasi spymaster Markus Wolf. "Koni" ...

(* 1925 in Hechingen; † 1982 in Berlin), director * Ezard Haußmann (* 1935 in Potsdam; † 2010 in Potsdam), actor * Wolfgang Böhmer (* 1936 in Dürrhennersdorf), medical doctor, former Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt * Friedrich Schorlemmer (* 1944 in Wittenberge), theologian.

After 1945

Reiner Haseloff Reiner Erich Haseloff (born 19 February 1954) is a German politician who serves as the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt. On 9 October 2020, he was elected President of the Bundesrat. His one-year term started on 1 November 2020. Political ...

(* 1954 in Bülzig), politician (CDU), Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt since 2011. * Frank Wartenberg (* 1955 in Prenzlau), track and field athlete * Christiane Wartenberg (* 1956 in Prenzlau), track and field athlete * Peter Fitzek (* 1965 in Halle an der Saale), activist of the Reich citizenship movement, founder of the fantasy state Kingdom of Germany * Fernando Scarpa (* 1968 in Milan), Italian film director *

Nils Seethaler Nils Seethaler (born August 18, 1981, in West Berlin) is a German cultural anthropologist. He researches historical collections of ethnological objects and human remains. Personal life Nils Seethaler was born in Berlin-Lichterfelde and spent hi ...

(* 1981 in Berlin), provenance researcher and museum initiator

Twin towns – sister cities

Wittenberg is twinned with: *

Göttingen Göttingen (, ; ; ) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. According to the 2022 German census, t ...

, Germany (1988) *

Bretten Bretten (; South Franconian: ''Bredde'') is a town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Geography Bretten lies in the centre of a rectangle that is formed by Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Heilbron ...

, Germany (1990) *

Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in southwestern Ohio along the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, about west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and northeast of ...

, United States (1995) *

Békéscsaba Békéscsaba (; ; see also #Name, other alternative names) is a city with county rights in southeast Hungary, the capital of Békés County. Geography Békéscsaba is located in the Great Hungarian Plain, southeast from Budapest. Highway 44, 47 ...

, Hungary (1999) *

Haderslev Haderslev (; ) is a Denmark, Danish town in the Region of Southern Denmark with a population of 22,405 (1 January 2025).Beveren Beveren () is a former municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders which comprises the towns of Beveren, Doel, Haasdonk, Kallo, Kieldrecht, Melsele, Verrebroek and Vrasene. The port of the Waasland (Dutch: ''Waaslandhaven'') ...

, Belgium (2019) *

Mediaș Mediaș (; , , Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Medwesch''/''Medveš''/''Medwisch'', ) is the second largest municipiu, town and municipality in Sibiu County, Transylvania, central Romania. Geography Mediaș is located in ...

, Romania (2019) *

Mogilev Mogilev (; , ), also transliterated as Mahilyow (, ), is a city in eastern Belarus. It is located on the Dnieper, Dnieper River, about from the Belarus–Russia border, border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from Bryansk Oblast. As of 2024, ...

, Belarus (2019)

Gallery

WittenbergMittelstr.JPG, Wittenberg old town Wittenberg - Stadtbach in der Schlossstrasse (Town Stream in the Schlossstrasse) - geo.hlipp.de - 28216.jpg, View to All Saints' Church 912u_Luther's_95_Theses,_Schlosskirche,_Wittenberg,_GER,.jpg, Replica of the Ninety-five Theses in the All Saints' Church Wittenberg - Stadtkirche nachts.jpg, Stadtkirche Lutherstadt Wittenberg 09-2016 photo10.jpg, Melanchthonhaus (Wittenberg) Wittenberg Lutherhaus.JPG, The

Augusteum and Lutherhaus The Lutherhaus is a writer's house museum in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany. Originally built in 1504 as part of the University of Wittenberg, the building was the home of Martin Luther for most of his adult life and a significant location in th ...

Lutherstadt Wittenberg 09-2016 photo03.jpg, Town hall HW-Schule.jpg, Hundertwasserschule, School by

Friedensreich Hundertwasser Friedrich Stowasser (15 December 1928 – 19 February 2000), better known by his pseudonym Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser (), was an Austrian visual artist and architect who also worked in the field of environmental protection ...

Wittenberg Piesteritz.jpg, Werksiedlung Wittenberg Dessauer Straße 291, Lutherstadt Wittenberg 20180812 003.jpg, Amtsgericht Font by Hermann Vischer the Elder, St Mary's Church, Wittenberg.jpg, Font by Hermann Vischer the Elder, St Mary's Church, Wittenberg Statue Marktplatz (Wittenberg) Philipp Melanchthon.jpg,

Philipp Melanchthon Philip Melanchthon (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, an intellectual leader of the ...

in the market square Wittenberg,Luthers Hochzeit.jpg, Market square, with ancient town hall, statue of Martin Luther and '' Stadtkirche'' Lutherstadt Wittenberg 09-2016 photo04.jpg, Hamlethaus at Wittenberg old town Maarten Luther Statue.jpg, Maarten Luther Statue Rathaus Wittenberg Entre.jpg, Town hall Rathaus Wittenberg Detail.jpg, Facade images, town hall Markt 25, Lutherstadt Wittenberg 20180812 005.jpg, Futurea Science Center museum at market Kropstaedt castle3.JPG, Kropstädt Castle Schloss Nudersdorf.jpg, Nudersdorf Castle

Notes

References

External links

Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg UNESCO Official WebsiteMunicipal website

Theatre of Wittenberg

Info on the camp typhus epidemic in World War One''Luther and the Chemicals Industry''
a 2013 documentary in English by

Deutsche Welle (; "German Wave"), commonly shortened to DW (), is a German state-funded television network, state-owned international broadcaster funded by the Federal Government of Germany. The service is available in 32 languages. DW's satellite tele ...

covering the history of the city {{Authority control Landmarks in Germany Towns in Saxony-Anhalt Martin Luther Holy cities World Heritage Sites in Germany Wittenberg (district) Populated riverside places in Germany Populated places on the Elbe