Katy Luther was returning to Torgau when her cart was upset and she fell, injuring herself. She was taken to her very small Torgau home where she never recovered. She died on December 20, 1552, nearly seven years after her husband's death in February of 1546. After Martin's death, Katy had a hard go of it but was eventually provided for by German leaders. This gravestone shows Katy wearing a long, fur-trimmed coat, with a scarf over her head and shoulders. She holds a book in both hands, presumably the Scriptures. Only part of the inscription on the stone is still legible. Translated, it says: "In the year 1522 the 20th of December, the blessed widow of Doctor Martin Luther departed this life here in Torgau to join God...” The gravestone was restored on the 100th anniversary of the Reformation in 1617. I appreciated that most of the significant Luther sites and gravestones had fresh flowers.

While we were there an old lady told us in hushed tones that they are not really sure where Katy is actually buried since they think the memorial stone had been moved and nobody remembered where she was. True? Who knows...but an interesting tidbit.