Mrs. H. E. Coleman lived in Minneapolis, the thriving city on the banks of the Mississippi River in southeast Minnesota.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapolis

In September of 1910, Mrs. Coleman received a postcard from the old city of Wittenberg, Germany.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wittenberg

Her friend, known by the initials A. N. G. , mailed a postcard photograph of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Church,_Wittenberg

On the doors of this impressive edifice, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the eve of All Saints in the year 1517.

Luther’s theses, or challenges to debate, were subtitled “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences”.

From the starting point of Indulgences, Luther challenged the prevailing teaching on the role of the priesthood, the power to absolve sin, the freedom of the will, and the nature of salvation.

The consequences of this action transformed Europe and all of Christendom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation

The photograph was printed in Zwickau, a beautiful city in eastern Saxony.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwickau

On the reverse, the friend of Mrs. Colman reports on their travels through Berlin, Leipzig, Augsburg, and Nuremberg.

The travelers were “leaving tonight” for Christiana, and for travels in Denmark and Sweden.

Given the large number of Minnesotans who identified as Lutheran, the visit to Wittenberg may have been especially meaningful.

One hopes that the travelers returned safely and that Mrs. Coleman heard many interesting tales about the tour.