Alumni invited to tour Germany, follow in Luther’s footsteps
May 28-June 4, 2017
Join President Steve Bahls and Jane Easter Bahls on an alumni trip to Germany from May 28-June 4, 2017. Augustana’s Dr. David Ellis, professor of history, and Kai Swanson ’86 will help lead the tour, which follows the life of Martin Luther (1483-1546), a German professor of theology, composer, priest and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation.
As part of his undergraduate experience, Dr. Ellis studied at the Free University of Berlin for a year and witnessed the opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which played an important role in his decision to pursue graduate study in German history.
Dr. Ellis is a strong advocate of the value of foreign study. He has led Augustana students on study abroad terms, teaching in Rome, Paris, Wittenberg, Leipzig and Berlin.
Cost$1,700 per person, double occupancy (includes value-added tax and tour leader) $1,940 single occupancy (includes value-added tax and tour leader) Airfare is not included due to small group size (48 maximum). Deposit: $500/person to secure a reservation. Openings are on a first-come/first-served basis and secured only with a deposit. Final payment is due by April 1 Register |
Participants will travel in a certified 5-star luxury coach, equipped with
- 48 seats
- Air conditioning
- Kitchenette, fridge, microwave
- 19-inch monitors, stereo system, CD player
- 220 volt power outlet / socket
- Lavatory
- Service button
- Tinted windows
- Maximum legroom, footrests
- Independent tray tables
- Reclining seats with Alcantara-leather covers and center armrest and cupholders
- Wardrobe
For more information, contact Kai Swanson ’86, special assistant to the president, at 309-794-7419 or kaiswanson@augustana.edu.
Itinerary
Important notice: This tour involves extensive walking, often over uneven surfaces and with steep inclines.
May 28
Arrive Frankfurt. Go to Eisenach where Martin Luther studied and lived for a time. Guided tour in the Wartburg castle, where Luther hid and translated the Bible. Lunch included. Dinner at the hotel and overnight in Erfurt .
May 29
Guided tour of Erfurt on foot, including the Augustinerkloster, the monastery where Luther lived as an monk from 1505-1511. Lunch on your own. Visit to the Erfurt Cathedral; Luther was ordained in the cathedral in 1507. Dinner at the hotel and overnight in Erfurt.
May 30
Travel to Lutherstadt Eisleben for a guided tour of both Luther’s birth house (reconstructed) and the house where he died. Guided tour also includes the two churches in the town, if you like. Lunch included. Travel to Wittenberg.
May 31
Guided tour on foot in Wittenberg. Part of the Augustinian monastery in which Luther lived, first as a monk and later as owner with his wife and family, is preserved and considered by some to be the world's premier museum dedicated to Luther. Lunch on your own.
June 1
Travel to Leipzig. Guided tour followed by lunch on your own. A concert and dinner ends the evening in Leipzig.
June 2
Travel to Dresden for a guided tour and complimentary lunch. Dinner at the hotel in Prague, Czech Republic.
June 3
Guided tour in Prague Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. Lunch included. Guided tour of the Prague Castle on the hill. Dinner at the hotel or guides will take you to an authentic forklore evening with dinner and music.
June 4
Depart
