Arnold Zarft

Arnold Withold Zarft (born November 16, 1930 in Bergerdamm , † June 29, 2009 in Neustrelitz ) was a German pastor and since 2004 an honorary citizen of the city of Neustrelitz. He was known for his popular sermons - also held in Low German - and campaigned for the preservation of the Neustrelitz churches.

Arnold Zarft was born the son of a farmer. He attended the village school in Neuenkirchen and completed an apprenticeship as a farm machinist in order to then work in the Neptun shipyard in Rostock . After attending a proseminar, Zarft studied theology in Wittenberg from 1952 to 1955 and from November 1955 completed the vicariate in Ballwitz , where he subsequently became a pastor. On February 10, 1956, he married Martha (born September 23, 1933, † February 18, 2009), with whom he had four children. From May 1967 to September 1972 Zarft worked as a pastor in Friedland - during this term of office he took part in philosophy lectures at the University of Greifswald as a guest lecturer .

From July 31, 1972 to December 10, 1995, Arnold Zarft was pastor for the Evangelical Lutheran town parish and the parish in Zierke at the town church in Neustrelitz . During this time he worked intensively on the preservation of the churches, especially in Zierke and the city church, and gained fame through his popular sermons, which were characterized by a particular daily topicality and which he also gave in the Low German language. Zarft also got involved in environmental protection and set up house groups . As a pastor, he is said to have made a significant contribution to the peaceful course of the popular protests in 1989. So he supported the local citizens' movement and made contact with Bärbel Bohley from the New Forum . After 1991, Zarft took over professional ethics lessons at the Federal Border Guard and carried out further training within the church.

On November 9, 2004, Arnold Zarft was awarded honorary citizenship of the city of Neustrelitz during a festive event with Joachim Gauck as the keynote speaker.

Web links

• Literature about Arnold Zarft in the state bibliography MV