Church group cruises through history

Norm and Carol Cowden

In June, a group from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was joined by

soon-to-be friends from Charlotte, N.C., in Prague in the Czech

Republic for a cruise down the Elbe River. Our trip leaders were John

Huffman, the senior minister at St. Andrew’s, and Leighton Ford,

president of Leighton Ford Ministries, accompanied by their families.

Our itinerary began in Prague, which has played a central role in

European Christian history, making it an excellent starting point for

a historical Reformation-themed trip. Here, cleric Jan Hus criticized

the practices of the Catholic Church in the 15th century and was

excommunicated and burned at the stake for heresy. Hus’ execution

sparked a series of religious wars, culminating in the Thirty Years

War, which began in Prague in 1618. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648

radically redrew European borders along religious lines.

With the end of the Cold War and the withdrawal of Soviet forces,

Prague has enjoyed a remarkable rise in popularity as a tourist

destination. In particular, the old town square, with its

astronomical clock in Town Hall, has retained its old world charm.

When we were there, the square was occupied by groups of decorated

cows that are to be auctioned to raise money for charity. During our

stay, we visited the Royal Palace where Protestant nobles, protesting

the succession of Hapsburg Archduke [Francis] Ferdinand, threw

Catholic governors out of the upper windows, inciting the Thirty

Years War.

As an adjunct, we were invited to visit the U.S. Ambassador’s

residence. We were graciously received by Ambassador William J.

Chabaniss, who provided us with a history of the residence as well as

a description of his diplomatic duties.

Our Elbe River cruise was aboard the five-star Katharina von Bora,

named after the wife of Martin Luther. The ship is purposely designed

for the route from Prague to Potsdam that carries it through 16 locks

and bridges, some of which are only slightly larger than the ship. To

overcome these restrictions, the deck rails are folded and the

pilothouse is telescoped for vertical clearance. Because the Elbe is

a shallow river, the draft of the ship can be varied from one to two

meters by ballast tanks.

Propulsion is by water jets that can be gimbaled 360 degrees for

braking and steering. The vessel length is 272 feet, the width 31

feet and the draft 3.5 feet, with 41 passenger cabins. All cabins

have large windows and air conditioning and are beautifully appointed

with built-in closets, a desk, shower, toilet, television,

four-channel radio, telephone and hairdryer. The vessel provides six

meals daily.

After departing from Prague, our first stop was Litomerice. Though

German-speaking, the town currently is part of the Czech Republic,

having flip-flopped national and confessional allegiances

periodically over the last 500 years. Crossing into Germany, we

stopped at the spa town of Bad Schandau in Saxony.

On day four, we visited the Koenigstein Fortress with its

breathtaking views of Saxon Switzerland. Having exhausted its

strategic usefulness overlooking the Elbe during the Napoleonic Wars,

the Koenigstein was used as a prison. During World War II, it served

as a safe repository for the Dresden Museum treasures, as well as

other “liberated” works of art from Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia,

Holland and France. From the castle, you could see the remnants of a

Soviet uranium mine and processing plant. Abandoned since the Cold

War, both are so radioactive they’re uninhabitable.

Day five brought us to Dresden, “The Florence of the Elbe.” The

nadir of Dresden’s long art history occurred at the end of World War

II. On Feb. 13, 1945, the Allies, in retaliation for the bombing of

Coventry, mounted around-the-clock bombing, resulting in a firestorm

that destroyed 80% of the inner city.

Restoration began in 1951 and continues today. Reconstruction of

the Frauenkirche, once one of Germany’s greatest Protestant churches,

is being supported by an international society whose members include

Yehudi Menuhin, the Bishop of Coventry, Henry Kissinger and David

Rockefeller. The Zwinger Museum, in addition to its magnificent

displays of porcelain and armor, houses a world-class collection of

Northern European paintings from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.

Currently, this includes works by Cranach, Durer, Hans Holbein and

Vermeer.

Day six featured Leipzig and Maissen. At the Thomaskirche in

Leipzig, where Johan Sebastian Bach served as cantor for 17 years and

is buried, we were given a private organ concert. For lunch, we ate

at the world famous Auerbachs Keller Restaurant, one of Germany’s

gastronomical treasures. In the afternoon, we toured Europe’s oldest

porcelain factory in Meissen, where we were able to see the artists

at work and view the outstanding collection of more than 3,000 pieces

of porcelain.

Day seven took us to Torgau and Wittenberg. Torgau is the site

where the American army, under Gen. George S. Patton, first met the

Soviet Army in World War II. Wittenberg is the location of Germany’s

first university, where Martin Luther was a professor of theology. In

1517, Luther spoke out against existing church conditions in his

famous 95 Theses, and through this act, Wittenberg also became the

center of the Reformation.

In 1525, Luther was married to a former nun, Katherine von Borla,

and moved into what today is known as Lutherhaus. In 1997, the United Nations designated “Luther Town of Wittenberg” as a UN World Heritage

Sight.

Day eight’s stop was in Magnaburg. The city is most well known for

its Science Academy as well as being the home of research scientist,

mayor and diplomat Otto von Guericke, who invented the vacuum pump.

Day nine meant a stop in Potsdam. After entering the Elbe-Havel

Canal, we disembarked from our trip in Potsdam. In the morning, we

visited Frederick the Great’s palace of Sanssouci. Built in 1744, the

buildings and park are truly a place to live “without cares.” The

Schloss is memorable for its exterior statuary and marble interior.

Visitors wear felt slippers to prevent wear and, at the same time,

polish the ornate, inlaid marble floors.

The Marmoreal (marble hall) and Konzertzimmer (concert hall) were

the most spectacular. The terraced gardens and fountains surrounding

the palace are dramatic. Because of its significance in World War II,

we visited Schloss Cecilienhoff, the site of the Potsdam Conference.

Among the agreements reached here by Truman, Churchill and Stalin was

the division of Germany and Berlin into four sectors.

Day 10 brought us to Berlin. From the dock, coaches took us to

Germany’s formerly divided capital of Berlin. During the Cold War,

the city was divided by the infamous wall separating east from west,

democracy from communism.

Today, only a few crumbling sections have survived the hammers of

souvenir hunters. In fact, East Berlin, where our Four Seasons Hotel

was located, is experiencing a dramatic renaissance as a result of

reunification. Devastated by the war and totally neglected during the

German Democratic Republic period, East Berlin is becoming a vibrant,

rejuvenated, bustling, modern city soon to surpass the west sector.

On Sunday, we walked down the recently renovated Unter den Linden

to attend church at the Berliner Dom where the sermon is translated

in real time to English. From the Brandenburg Gate along the Spree

River to the Museum Island, where some of the heaviest gang fighting

occurred, massive renovation and reconstruction is taking place.

While the economy is booming in eastern Germany, the effects of

inflation and the Euro make shopping uneconomical. Domestic and

imported products are expensive compared to their cost in the United

States. While the ability to tour Europe on $7 a day may be a thing

of the past, the experience is worth the difference.

* NORM AND CAROL COWDEN are residents of Newport Beach.