After the last days of mainly solitude, being in such a lively city like Wittenberg was a welcome change. Especially as I was lucky that the host of my guesthouse was extremely welcoming and opened a door for me to what a daily life in Wittenberg could look like. Of course, I did the full tourist program with the castle, the church where Martin Luther pinned his 95 thesis on the door in 1517, the Leucorea, etc. But in addition, I had the opportunity to go for dinner and drinks with someone who lived in Wittenberg for over 25 years and who is extremely well connected in town. And – I had the opportunity to spend time with Finn!! A dog of impressive 16 years of age who is nearly fully blind but has the most wicked personality!
Having had the opportunity to speak to a few people who either were born and raised in Wittenberg before the German reunification or who moved there just after it, made me realise what significant changes happened in this place. I never realised how run down the cities were before the wall came down to really understand the progress that has happened in the last 30 years. Seeing a few examples of ‘before’ and ‘after’ gave me the biggest respect of the effort that went into it, the vision of what is possible and the fighting spirit to pursue the goal despite many set backs. It was just such a small glimpse in that day but already that was an extremely humbling experience.
Accommodation: http://www.wittenbergnacht.de
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