Three years after the Luther commemorations in 1983, Peter Maser presents a comprehensive and source-rich analysis of the diverse activities that the SED state and Protestant churches in the GDR promoted with extraordinary effort for the 500th birthday of the Reformer. He examines this societal event for the first time in all its diversity. The Luther commemorations of 1983 are placed in the context of global political developments and the evolution of German-German relations. At the same time, the emerging crisis processes in the GDR become visible, which are driven in no small part by the rising peace, environmental, and civil rights groups. Peter Maser provides deep insights into the realities of life, the political power structure, and the challenging path of the Protestant churches in the final phase of the GDR.