First assignment coming up today, thankfully it wasn’t the first day of the job as an editor. Yesterday was my first day on the job and I thought I’d make a day trip to Wittenberg in order to see some of the sights and museums with Reformation Day coming up. It’s only been about a month since I moved to Berlin and I’m already on a fast tract to learning the German culture and language.
I really didn’t know what to expect, I walked around a few museums and asked the local docents a few questions about the history of Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon. There’s wasn’t much to see and my bicycle brought me anywhere in town in ten minutes so I still had an hour to burn at the Bahnhof before I catch my train to Berlin.
Having nothing much to do in a station under renovation, I walked around the back to a makeshift ticketing counter carved out of a shipping container to find someone to talk to. To my relief there was a lonely member of staff smiling courteously as per regulations, waiting for passengers that will never arrive. Seriously, there was nobody else here and the train only came once every two hours.
‘Entschuldigung?’ I popped my head in and made myself known.
‘Was kann ich für Sie tun?’ The lady politely offered help.
“Are there any other trains to Berlin apart from this one?’ I showed her my train ticket.
‘I’m sorry, but this is the only direct train that comes through here. There is the evening express but you’ll have to change in Halle and that takes even longer.’ She recited the schedule as if she’d been working there her whole life.
‘That’s a pity, and I can’t even find a Backstube or a Späti for a snack.’ I shrugged.
‘Yeah, it’s under renovation right now, but there will be extra trains and a Bratwurst stand here tomorrow.’ She sounded excited.
‘Oh? Why tomorrow?’ I let the curious journalist side of me slip through.
‘Didn’t you hear? The Queen of Denmark is coming by tomorrow to reopen the Schloßkirche!’ Her eyes opened like a kid that saw candy for the first time.
‘No way! Can I get train tickets to come tomorrow morning? I’d like to arrive an hour before the event please.’ I asked without thinking.
‘Sure thing, you have a BahnCard I can charge?’ She said.
‘Bitte schön.’ I handed her my railway charge card.
‘Oh you have a Comfort card! I’ll put you up in first class on discount, you might meet some dignitaries on the way, be sure to hang out in the Berlin lounge before you leave, lots of congressmen there.’ She advised. ‘How long have you been here?’
‘My accent gave it away?’ I laughed. ‘One month.’
‘Not foreign, but a little too Ossi, nobody speaks with such a strong dialect even in these parts.’ She smiled. ‘I’m surprised you got Comfort status in just a month.’
‘Company money.’ I shrugged.
‘Ah. Here you are Herr Got, you’ll be in the first class booth with a table and power outlet with free wireless internet. I figure you probably need it for work.’ She folded the ticked and placed it in a glossy red holder.
‘Danke schön!’ I thanked her.
‘Bitte schön, I’ll be here tomorrow, feel free stop by and say hi.’ She bid me farewell as I walked back to the waiting area.
There wasn’t much time to sleep that night, the train departed Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 5:45am so I had to get up at 4:30am to catch the train. The Schloßkirche was truly an awe-inspiring structure once the scaffolding was removed. It was built over five centuries ago and still stands today with all its original masonry. Atop the church was a domed tower with a spire that pointed straight to heaven. The tower was also in just the right position to provide some shade from the sun to the guests lining up in front of the security checkpoint.
As the foreign ambassadors, clergymen, and local townspeople were herded into the church a policeman walked along to count the number of people in line. He stopped two places in front of me and then looked at my direction.
‘Sorry, no more space, the line stops here.’ He informed us.
My heart sank. I came all this way and wasn’t able to get in, so close. He walked along the rest of the line to inform about a hundred people they couldn’t get in. I froze in disbelief not knowing whether I should give up and go home or join the rest of the townspeople who were watching a live video feed in the town hall. Just as I was about to give up another policeman walked along the line and asked for ID and papers. I promptly help up my foreign passport and press card for inspection.
‘New on the job?’ He stopped and looked at me.
‘First assignment, how’d you figure?’ I asked in surprise.
‘There’s a separate line for staff over there.’ He pointed. ‘Come with me.’
I followed him round to the back of the security checkpoint; the policemen inspected my bags, cameras, and box of fusilli with leberkäse I made last night for a packed lunch today then they let me through to the press box without a fuss. Efficient, courteous, and professional service from the Bundespolizei.
Once inside, I sat down on plush red cushions in restored dark wood benches with other members of the press. I picked up a copy of the program in the seat pocket in front of me and found that indeed the Queen of Denmark and the President of Germany were guests of honor alongside various local officials and the state governor.
The special Sunday service started with hymns written by Rev. Martin Luther himself such as ‘Ein feste Burg ist unsere Gott’. There was this emotion of elation and reverence as we sang 16th century hymns in a 15th century church restored to its former glory. The gold gilded ceiling, columns carved into the shape of branches and vines, fresh flowers laid on the coffins of Luther and Melanchthon, and a beautiful silk altarpiece stitched by Queen Margaret as an offering to the church.
The German Boy’s Choir sung in the nave and they sounded like angels sent from heaven. The head of the evangelical church, President Gauck, and Queen Margarethe II shared their standard messages of peace, harmony, and prosperity and before long the service was over. As the attendees dispersed, I sat for a while to contemplate what it meant to be worshipping God in the same building as sovereigns and world leaders and what it means for God to have willed each leader in their place.
In a way, it felt as if the book of Revelation was revealed to me in a small but personally significant manner. Proponents of a secular state may argue that religion is but a distraction from ration and science, but they cannot deny the peace and togetherness it provides. The church experience humbles all people and makes all worshippers equal before God as they are all judged as sinners. In a church it no longer matters who you are in society because God is the only Sovereign present.
The dignitaries were still hanging around the front of the church so I walked up the aisle to snap a few pictures. As Queen Margarethe II emerged from the group of government officials, ready to leave, I put my camera down and bowed before her.
‘Why do you bow?’ She said in fluent informal German. ‘I won’t be offended if you keep taking pictures; it’s your job.’
‘I respect you, one knows you are the Queen of Denmark, one must bow for respect.’ I replied in broken formal German.
‘We are in the house of God.’ She reminded me gently. ‘We must only bow to God.’ She gestured to the altar.
‘Thank you, Your Grace.’ I nodded in lieu of bowing.
I know, I know, you address kings and queens as their majesties, but at that moment I felt her grace and humility. Needless to say in hindsight it was completely inappropriate for the situation with dignitaries all around her, but I was glad that Her Majesty understood the meaning of my comment and took it all in stride.
She shook her head and replied: ‘All grace comes from the King of Kings.’
