Luther Statue Presented to PSEC by Partners in Anhalt, Germany

Throughout the world there have been and will continue to be celebrations during the decade from 2007 to 2017 to mark the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. 
 
During the week leading up to Reformation Sunday, October 31, 2010, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference received the gift of a statue of Martin Luther created by artist Ottmar Hoerl. This is one of 800 such statues that completely filled the market square of Wittenberg Germany from August 14 to September 12, 2010. It was given as a gift to the Conference by our partner church, The Regional Church of Anhalt, Germany, by President Joachim Liebig. 
 
About Ottmar Hoerl 
Ottmar Hoerl (b. 1950) is an artist dedicated to plurality and communication. Already at a very early stage, he decided in favor of plastic and industrially manufactured materials as well as the principle of seriality. For Ottmar Hoerl, the idea of sculpture, painting, or monochromes cannot be reduced to a single two- or three-dimensional “solution.” He virtually rejects the “trademark,” even if every one of his ideas would allow unlimited reproduction in its logical consequence. He permits no categorization, even if his artistic concepts relate to one another in all their diversity. 
 
 “I will multiply Luther’s presence, so that his ideas can spread throughout the world in the form of a symbolic object. “The mobile Luther monument will become a Luther herald,” Ottmar Hoerl explains. “With the installation on the market square of Wittenberg, I will bring Martin Luther back to the ground on which he himself liked to stand. As he expressed at the imperial diet of worms: “. . . I do not make myself a saint, nor am I disputing the sanctity of my own life, but the sanctity of the the doctrines of Christ.” He will become comprehensible, literally ‘tangible.’ The multiplication will create a presence which does justice to him and the interpretation of his teachings. It is to serve as an impulse and lead to an entirely personal and undogmatic preoccupation with the great reformer. Everyone can take his/her Luther home with him/her…” 
 
Conference Minister, Russ Mitman, expressed his deep thanksgiving on behalf of the Conference to Rev. Liebig for this gift. It is on display in the Church House together with photographs of the special exhibition of the 800 figures in the market square in Wittenberg. 
 
To learn more, please visit the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference website.