Martin Luther's religious, cultural and political revolution

Martin Luther

Luther's ninety-five theses

When Martin Luther first posted his ninety-five theses, he no doubt intended to stir up change in Europe’s religious practices and the culture surround them. Though his intent was reform, his actions, instead, triggered the greatest religious, cultural, and political revolutions of the time. In terms of religion, Luther wanted to alter the practices of the Catholic church because he did not approve of their practices, leading to his eventual reputation as an enemy of this religious sect. Standing by his word, Luther received protection from various princes of the German lands. These leaders subscribed to his views because of the restrictions of power Luther believed should be placed on the church, including elimination the power of the church to act as a taxing body. Therefore, Luther’s views had political clout, which led to the starting of Protestantism, rather than his initial intentions of simply reforming the Catholic Church.  This doesn't mean the Catholic Church didn't change at all. In response to the new religion the church had to launch a counter reformation to encourage members to remain in the Catholic Church rather than defecting. Politically, the conversion of various areas of the Holy Roman Empire to Protestantism created conflict within the empire. Culturally, since the Catholic Church controlled a substantial portion of the lives of its members, change in church power had profound effect on culture, especially in the German Lands. 

Luther's German Bible translation

Luther became an important figure to the Germany of this time due to the fact that his actions both united and divided the country and its people. The division of the land into protestant and catholic territories created a great deal of conflict. However, the translation of the Bible into German established a common language and text for individuals to connect with each other. This gives the area a cultural identity due to a subscription and understanding of one piece of literature.  Martin Luther’s contributions during the reformation and the profound impact that he had on Europe can be explicitly seen within the German lands and I look forward to learning more about this time period on our trip this winter. 

Thirty Years War

Depiction of Defenestration of Prague - Key event in triggering the war

The Thirty Year’s War was important in European history for many reasons. It was the first time that a country (France) had entered a war in opposition to their religious loyalties. However, for the German Lands of this era, the conflict to restore political order fractured the country, reducing it into territories that retained little power, which were ruled by princes hailing from various bodies within the Holy Roman Empire. The result of this war, along with various other events in later German history, has had a profound effect on the preservation of national identity within this country today. After the war, efforts to maintain the lack of power in this area commenced, preventing the German lands from solidifying into a cohesive nation. The purpose of this endeavor was to keep the “powerful nations on the periphery” such as Great Britain, France, and Sweden, at bay (Schluze 65). As Hagen Schluze explains, “If hostilities broke out, this central region would serve as their theater or war; in peacetime, it would offer strategic and diplomatic maneuvering room. “ (65) The German lands served as a buffer zone, rather than a unified realm, stunting the potential growth of a united country, along with the potential formation of a united culture.  People of this territory, therefore, felt more loyalty to their princes and the culture subscribed to in their specific area rather than focusing on cultivating a more nationalistic pride. Various periods of extreme turmoil, such as the Thirty Year’s War, prevented the culture and country of the German lands from fully unifying, thwarting the formation of a single German country for a substantial period of time.  This, along with various historical events including the divisions created by World War II, have fractured German culture, contributing to the lack of unity and resulting in a weaker, distinct, national identity as evidenced in Germany today.

Political boundaries after war

Why Germany?

Brandenburg Gate

 During my high school experience, I had the chance to take an advanced placement course discussing European history. This was my first exposure to the rich history that Germany had to offer and one of the reasons why I chose to study in Berlin this December. After attending the information sessions regarding this trip, I was excited to find out about the duration of the experience and enticed by the potential of a language barrier, something that I have never experienced before and view as an opportunity to eliminate any unknown cultural biases that I might possess. By spending more time abroad and by enduring the academic and cultural challenges presented by Professor Wolf, I feel that this trip will have a profound impact on my worldview, especially considering that this will be my first extended trip outside of the United States. In the past few months, I have heard such positive remarks from my friends who have studied abroad, including optimistic reflections on the struggles that they have had, and am looking forward to engaging in an experience similar to theirs, though on a smaller scale. I believe this will facilitate an opportunity for me to learn more about how another group of people lives currently but also how they lived, exploring the wealth of history, culture, and knowledge that Germany possesses.

Berlin Cathedral

As an individual intending on pursuing graduate study and even graduate work abroad, this trip will provide me with a lens in which to speculate what a longer period abroad could be. I am looking forward to living in a new place for a short period of time, learning the culture of that place, and engaging in an academic endeavor, simulating my potential participation in a future program of a more profound length. Additionally, I am able to partake in various scholastic activities in a different cultural environment, as well as within a distinctive learning community. This D-term experience will allow me to closely interact with the leaders of the course as well as the other students on the trip. I firmly believe that there is much you can learn from others; therefore, participating in a small learning community in a foreign country aligns with my goals of academic success and the pursuit of various learning experiences, especially those in a new culture.