WITTENBERG, Germany -- German archeologists say they have discovered the toilet on which Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses (hey....theses rhymes with feces....sweet! and ironic!) that launched the Protestant Reformation.
Luther frequently alluded to the fact that he suffered from chronic constipation and spent much of his time in contemplation on the toilet.
Experts say they have been certain for years that the 16th century religious leader wrote the groundbreaking Theses while on das klo, as the Germans call it. But they did not know where the object was until they discovered the stone construction after recently stumbling across the remains of an annex of his house in Wittenberg, southwest of Berlin, during plans to plant a garden.
"This is a great find," Stefan Rhein, director of the Luther Memorial Foundation, said. "Particularly because we're talking about someone whose texts we have concentrated on for years, while little attention has been paid to anything three-dimensional and human behind them.
The 450-year-old toilet, which was very advanced for its time, is made out of stone blocks and, unusually, has a seat with a hole. Underneath is a cesspool attached to a primitive drain.
Luther, a professor of biblical theology at Wittenberg University, nailed his 95 Theses to the church door at Wittenberg, attacking the corrupt trade in indulgences. The act led to his excommunication, but he was protected by Frederick II of Saxony and was able to develop and spread his ideas.
Rhein said the foundation would stop at letting the annual 80,000 visitors to Wittenberg sit on the toilet. "There's a point where you have to draw the line," he said.
