Parish Church of St. Dionysius (Neckarsulm)
The Catholic parish church of St. Dionysius Neckarsulm is next to the Teutonic Order Castle, the landmark of Neckarsulm , as it is visible from afar on a rock spur in the north of the old town above the Sulmtal . The baroque church was built from 1706 to 1710. The tower was built in 1757 under master builder Franz Häffele . The church was completely destroyed in the bombing of March 1, 1945, but rebuilt from 1946 to 1949.
history
Building history
At the place of today's parish church there should have been several previous buildings. The oldest church probably dates from the 8th century, i.e. from the century in which Neckarsulm was first mentioned in a document. According to old documents it is certain that there was a Romanesque church around 1200 . According to tradition, this church was followed by a smaller late Gothic church, which was built in 1575. As was customary, this stood with the choir facing east. The choir with a square tower above was exactly where the church tower stands today, as evidenced by a floor plan from 1706. It is questionable whether the representation of the church in Neckarsulm's oldest representation from 1578 is realistic.
The dilapidated church from 1575 was demolished in 1706, and a new church was built in its place from 1706 to 1710, which contains both Renaissance and Baroque stylistic elements . Johann Wolfgang Fichtmayer (or Fichtmeyer, † before 1732) - a master builder from Mergentheim - is given as the site manager, which is evidenced by accounting documents. However, it is not certain whether he was also the builder and drafted the plans. A characteristic of the new church is that it was built in a north-south direction, so that the choir faces north. The reason was probably that the dominant position of the church over the Sulmtal should be emphasized. The old church tower, which originally stood on the east side of the church, was not immediately demolished. It was not until 1757 that the Neckarsulm master builder Franz Häffele built a new church tower over the foundations of the old tower, so that today's church tower stands next to the actual church building.
Church patron St. Dionysius
The parish church was consecrated to Saint Dionysius. It is disputed which saint it is. One version says that St. Dionysius Areopagita , who is also said to have been the first bishop of Athens, is meant. In the commemorative publication for the consecration of the church on November 21, 1949, City Pastor Sandel spoke out for this St. Dionysius. According to another version, the church was dedicated to Dionysius of Paris . This St. Dionysius is a French national saint, a martyr and one of the 14 helpers in need . Although the second version seems plausible due to the influence of the Franconian Empire on the lower Neckar area, this issue could never be clarified beyond doubt. By the 9th century at the latest, the two people were equated anyway.
Patronage law
The right of patronage to the church changed several times. Until 1440 it was owned by the Amorbach monastery in the Odenwald , then until 1667 by the Bishop of Würzburg and the Teutonic Order , which after 1667 only had the right of patronage. The Württemberg royal family took over these rights after secularization , but gave them to the Rottenburg diocese in 1858 .
Although the Teutonic Knight Order in the parish church only obtained the right of patronage from 1667, it ensured that the Reformation in Neckarsulm had no influence. While the surrounding Württemberg areas as well as the imperial cities in the Unterland took over the Reformation, Neckarsulm remained a predominantly Catholic city for centuries.
Destruction in World War II and reconstruction
In the war year of 1943, pastor Joseph Sandel and master carpenter August Saup suggested that the precious furnishings be outsourced in order to save them from an impending bomb attack. They asserted their opinion against the resistance of other Neckarsulm residents who accused them of lacking trust in God. With the support of other community members - mostly wine growers - and the journeymen from August Saup's workshop, they put their project into practice in July 1943. Among other things, the following were relocated: the high altar in the Neusaß forest chapel near Schöntal , the group of crosses of the high altar in the castle in Stein am Kocher , the Pietà in the Bad Friedrichshall salt mine and the side altars in the Binswang chapel.
The church burned down completely during the bombing raid on March 1, 1945, so that essentially only the burnt-out tower, parts of the east wall and the damaged south wall (portal side) remained. From April 2, 1945 - when Neckarsulm got between the fronts - the remains of the church were further affected by artillery fire and fighter-bomber attacks. At the end of April 1945 clean-up work and preparatory work for the reconstruction were planned, which were completed by the beginning of 1946. The actual reconstruction began on the day of Peter and Paul in 1946 with a small consecration ceremony. In the difficult post-war years, the people of Neckarsulm rebuilt their parish church, so that it was opened on November 21, 1949 by the Rottenburg bishop Dr. Karl Leiprecht could be consecrated again.
In 2011 the church will be comprehensively renovated.
Pastor
List of pastors since the establishment of the Rottenburg diocese in 1827.
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Building description
"Heavenly Woman" above the sacristy entrance by Johann Jakob Holbusch
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Portal page
The figures on the portal on the south side of the church were created by the Neckarsulm sculptor Johann Jakob Holbusch (1656–1728) around 1710, with the Savior above the portal and the Apostles Peter on the left and Paul on the right of the portal (see pictures below). Above the entrance, on the gable, are two vases and the approx. 2.80 m high figure of the church patron St. Dionysius, who originally also came from Holbusch. The old figure was replaced in 1978 by a new one created by the Gundelsheim sculptor Ludwig Herold.
tower
The tower has a square floor plan of approx. 8 by 8 meters, is 49.27 meters high and was the seat of the city high and fire watchman until 1919. On the upper floor there is a parapet railing on the cornice. The tower ends with a slate-roofed dome and a lantern tower above it.
At the corners of the tower there are four figures, three of which were recreated in 1981 by Ludwig Herold based on the old models. They were: St. Urban (patron saint of the vineyards), Thomas More (English statesman and martyr) and Maria with the child . The fourth figure of St. Joseph was revised by him. The new figures were reattached to the tower on August 21, 1981 after almost a year and a half.
In 1978, Ludwig Herold also recreated the Rococo Madonna Heavenly Woman by Johann Jakob Holbusch above the entrance to the sacristy based on the old original, which was damaged by the weather.
In the spring of 1981 the Philipp Hörz company from Ulm re-gilded the dials and hands of the tower clock, which were badly weathered, especially the dial on the west side. In this context, instead of the central pointer drive, four single facade motor pointer drives were installed, which are controlled by a central clock. This work was completed by the end of March 1981.
Dimensions
- Overall length: 28.65 m
- Tower height: 49.27 m
- Width of the ship: 14.17 m
- Height of the ship: 14.06 m
- Height of the south facade: 33 m
Source:
Furnishing
The interior is a barrel-vaulted, five-axis hall that is structured by belt arches . Nothing is known about the original interior. The probably baroque altars were replaced by neo-Gothic or neo-Romanesque altars between 1877 and 1897, as were the glass windows. From 1937 to 1939 the interior of the church was redesigned by returning to the baroque style and furnishing the church in the neo-baroque style.
The baroque altars that exist today were designed by the architect Professor August Koch from Stuttgart . The high altar was added in 1937 and the side altars were created by Reinhard Geiselhart's Ellwang workshop in 1939 . The figures on the high altar were carved by the sculptor Josef Wolfsteiner from Hüttlingen , an employee of Geiselhart. The concept came from the pastor of the city, Joseph Sandel (1884–1965).
For the left side altar - the Altar of Mary - the painting Madonna of Victory by the Italian Carlo Ceresa from 1581 was acquired. The representation refers to the naval battle of Lepanto in 1571, in which the Christian fleet won over the Turkish one. The Archbishop of Milan and Cardinal Karl Borromeo kneel at the feet of the Madonna with the Infant Jesus and the Franciscan and crusade preacher John of Capestrano on the right .
The right side altar shows a picture of Joseph , which was made around 1650 and therefore comes from the previous church. It was donated by the mother of the Teutonic Knight Franz Ernst von Rolingen († 1710), as evidenced by the coat of arms on the picture below on the left (see picture below).
Probably the most valuable work of art in the parish church is a late Gothic Pietà to the right of the entrance on the east wall. This dates from around 1500 and is probably from the school of the carver Jörg Syrlin the Elder. Ä. influenced. It was probably taken over from the Gothic predecessor church and stood south of the church as a Vesper image on the Mount of Olives for about 200 years. In 1967 the Pietà was restored for the last time by Willy Eckert from Mergentheim.
The Way of the Cross by the painter Walter Maschke from Calw from 1978 is also noteworthy . The pictures in the excerpts from the side altars also come from him: St. Dionysius (church patron) and St. Martin (patron of the Diocese of Rottenburg) from 1979.
The interior - except for the pulpit - was outsourced in 1943 and could thus be preserved (see history). The pulpit had a baroque cladding, four figures of the evangelists and a sound cover . Renovation work was carried out from 1959 to 1963, which was completed with a small interior renovation from October to December 1963. Among other things, the ceiling and wall painting were renewed and the lighting system was modernized. During this work, the Pietà was moved from the right side altar to the rear of the church near the main entrance.
Extensive exterior renovations were carried out from 1977 to 1982, and another renovation of the church took place in 1989/1990.
organ
After the reconstruction of the parish church, the church received a new organ in 1962 from the organ building company Späth ( Mengen ). It had 36 registers on three manuals and a pedal .
Today's organ was rebuilt in 2015 by the organ building company Klais (Bonn). In view of the spatial and architectural conditions, the instrument was distributed over three organ cases. The main mechanism is located in the gallery parapet, the swell mechanism and the pedal mechanism in the two rear casing bodies. The prospectus was designed by the architect Odilo Siebigs (Aachen). The new instrument has 34 stops on two manual works and a pedal. The game actions are mechanical, the stop actions are electric. A special feature of the organ is the Physharmonica 8 'in the swell mechanism, which is equipped with its own wind swell.
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- Coupling : II / I (also as sub-octave coupling), II / II (sub- and super-octave coupling), I / P, II / P (also as super-octave coupling)
- Playing aids : typesetting system, sequencer, register fetter
Bells
Of the four bells at the time , three had to be dismantled in the war year 1917 and taken to the metal collection point for war purposes. After the First World War, three new bells were cast by the Bachert bell foundry from Kochendorf, which were hung in the bell tower for Christmas 1920. In March 1942, three bells had to be returned for war purposes. The fourth bell was destroyed on March 1, 1945.
The five current bells were cast in 1948 by the Junker company in Brilon (Westphalia) with a special bronze alloy and consecrated on January 23, 1949 by Abbot Albert Schmitt from the Benedictine monastery of Wimpfen-Grüssau . The sound of these bells - a fourth-sixth chord with a seventh - was first heard on April 16, 1949. Since October 26, 1952, the bells have been controlled by an electric bell.
| No. | Surname | Diameter [cm] |
Weight [kg] |
Chime | inscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 133 | 1250 | it 1 | Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God on high) | |
| 2. | 117.5 | 900 | f 1 | Et in terra pax hominibus! (And peace on earth to people.) | |
| 3. | 98 | 550 | as 1 | Christ vincit! (Christ conquers.) | |
| 4th | 88.5 | 350 | b 1 | Christ triumphs! (Christ rules.) | |
| 5. | 74.5 | 250 | of the 2nd | Christ populum suum ab omne malo defendat! (Let Christ keep his people from all evil.) |
More pictures
Tower of the parish church from 1757
Portal of the parish church
The parish church from the south
Refurbishment, May 2011
Detail of spire and clock
St. Peter on the left at the portal
St. Paul on the right at the portal
St. Joseph in the right side altar
literature
- Father Adalbert Ehrenfried: Pens and medals in Neckarsulm . Self-published, Zell am Harmersbach 1974
- Hans Fromm, Anton Heyler, Karoline Doll: NECKARSULM - parish of St. Dionysius . Ed. Katholisches Pfarramt Neckarsulm, Druck- und Verlags GmbH Otto Welcker, Neckarsulm 1982
- Alois Seiler, Dorothea Bader, Father Bernhard Demel: Neckarsulm and the German Order 1484-1805-1984 (catalog for an exhibition) . Edited by the Ludwigsburg State Archives, Süddeutsche Verlagsanstalt, Ludwigsburg 1984
- August Vogt: Neckarsulm - historical city guide . Edited by Heimatverein Neckarsulm eV and the city of Neckarsulm, 2nd edition, Otto Welker GmbH, Neckarsulm 1990
- August Vogt: St. Dionysius Neckarsulm - The parish and its church, past and present . Edited by self-published Pfarramt St. Dionysius Neckarsulm, Druckhaus Horch KG, Neckarsulm 1991
- Team of authors (editor: Barbara Griesinger): Neckarsulm. The story of a city . Edited by Stadt Neckarsulm, Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-8062-0883-2
- Theobald Ehehalt, Norbert Jung: On the trail of Neckarsulm bells - Bell directory for the Neckarsulm urban area . Neckarsulm 2001, ISBN 3-934096-01-8
- Team of authors: The churches of Neckarsulm . Edited by Kirchengemeinden Neckarsulm, 1st edition, Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg 2004, ISBN 3-89870-164-6
Individual evidence
- ↑ August Vogt: St. Dionysius Neckarsulm , Neckarsulm 1991, page 12.
- ^ August Vogt: Neckarsulm - Historischer Stadtführer , Neckarsulm 1990, pages 14 and 15.
- ^ Alois Seiler, Dorothea Bader, Father Bernhard Demel: Neckarsulm and the German Order 1484–1805–1984 (catalog for an exhibition) , Ludwigsburg 1984, p. 108 and 109.
- ^ Team of authors (editor: Barbara Griesinger): Neckarsulm. The history of a city , Stuttgart 1992, pages 146 to 149.
- ↑ Hans Fromm History of the St. Dionysius parish in NECKARSULM - St. Dionysius parish , Neckarsulm 1982, page 1.
- ^ Authors' team: The churches of Neckarsulm , Lindenberg 2004, page 6.
- ^ Gert Haendler: The Latin Church in the age of the Carolingians. Berlin 1985, page 130.
- ↑ August Vogt: Neckarsulm - Historischer Stadtführer , Neckarsulm 1990, page 15.
- ↑ Hans Fromm relocation of the altars in the Second World War in NECKARSULM - St. Dionysius parish , Neckarsulm 1982, pages 143 to 146.
- ↑ Hans Fromm Destruction in the war year 1945 and reconstruction 1946 - 1949 in NECKARSULM - St. Dionysius parish , Neckarsulm 1982, pages 146 to 149.
- ↑ Karoline Doll / Anton Heyler Pfarrstelle and Pastor St. Dionysius in NECKARSULM - Parish of St. Dionysius , Neckarsulm 1982, page 157.
- ↑ Personal communication from Uwe Scharfenecker (Pastor St. Dionysius) from February 20, 2007.
- ↑ Kilian Krauth: Dean Scharfenecker leaves the Unterland . In: Heilbronn voice . November 13, 2008 ( from Stimme.de [accessed April 10, 2009]).
- ↑ Ute Plückthun: The end of the vacancy . In: Heilbronn voice . September 22, 2009 ( from Stimme.de [accessed on September 23, 2009]).
- ^ Team of authors: The churches of Neckarsulm , Lindenberg 2004, page 3.
- ^ Karoline Doll / Anton Heyler: in NECKARSULM - Parish of St. Dionysius , Neckarsulm 1982, pages 153 to 163.
- ↑ Karoline Doll: in NECKARSULM - Church Community St. Dionysius , Neckarsulm 1982, pages 158 to 163.
- ↑ Anton Heyler in NECKARSULM - Church of St. Dionysius , Neckarsulm 1982, the 150th
- ↑ Team of authors: The churches of Neckarsulm , Lindenberg 2004, pages 3 to 5.
- ↑ Information about the organ on the website of the builder company
- ↑ Karoline Doll tower of the parish church in NECKARSULM - parish of St. Dionysius , Neckarsulm 1982, page 163.
- ^ Theobald Ehehalt, Norbert Jung: On the trail of Neckarsulm bells - Bells directory for the Neckarsulm urban area , Neckarsulm 2001, pages 19 and 20.
Web links
Coordinates: 49 ° 11 ′ 34.2 " N , 9 ° 13 ′ 29.6" E
