Bethlehem Church (Berlin-Mitte)

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The Bethlehem Church from the south, 1910

The Bethlehem Church (also: Bohemian Church ) was a Lutheran and Reformed simultaneous church in Friedrichstadt in the Mitte district of Berlin . The church, completed in 1737, was built for Bohemian Protestant exiles . From 1747 these formed three separate parishes, two of which were joint owners of the church. The Bethlehem Church was destroyed in an Allied air raid during World War II in 1943 .

construction

The church was built from 1735 to 1737 according to plans and under the direction of Friedrich Wilhelm Diterichs by master mason Christian August Naumann and master carpenter Johann Andreas Büring. It was on May 12, 1737 inaugurated . The Bethlehem Church was a round church with a diameter of 15.70 meters and a height of 36.40 meters. The building offered seating for 600 churchgoers. The steep wooden dome had eight dormers with windows all around, four each above the cross arms with clocks and four lower ones between the cross arms. The dome was crowned with a lantern .

The church with gable on the west arm and hip on the south arm
Johann David Schleuen, 1757

The western arm of the cross was highlighted as the main front by pilasters and gables. The other arms of the cross had hipped roofs. The church also had entrances in the south and north. The eastern cross arm was different from the other three semicircular and housed the altar niche. The church is typical of its time and was something of a scaled-down version of the same time in the immediate vicinity also in the Wall Street built Trinity Church . The two church bells were cast at the expense of the royal family. For this purpose, a bell from the collegiate monastery of God's grace near Calbe , which was recovered in the 1730s, was melted down, which had been in ruins since the Thirty Years' War .

In 1753 the church received an organ created by Johann Peter Migendt . The Lutheran preacher Gustav Knak had portraits of the four evangelists installed in the dome, which the Reformed community criticized as a violation of the ban on images. During the renovation in 1883, stained glass windows depicting the Adoration of the Shepherds at the Nativity Scene in Bethlehem and the Adoration of the Wise Men from the Orient were installed in the choir . The glass windows were created by the glass painter Otto Linnemann .

history

The name of the church building goes back to the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague , which plays an important role as the preaching place of Johannes Hus for the Bohemian Brothers . The Bohemian exiles in Berlin referred to the brothers in their Protestant traditions. The Bethlehem Church was built for the Bohemian exiles who were admitted from 1732 under King Friedrich Wilhelm I. Most of them were weavers and spinners who settled in the expansion of Berlin's Friedrichstadt .

Bohemian Church on Christmas Eve
Franz Skarbina , around 1903

The language of preaching was initially Czech ; the first three Lutheran preachers were all of Bohemian descent. The first sermons in German were given in the morning from 1750 onwards. The third Lutheran preacher, Andreas Macher, was displeased to many church members who were more reform-minded, so that they came to the king in June 1746 to be able to name their preachers themselves - as was royal assured upon admission. Frederick II confirmed this assurance from his father in January 1747. After an official questioning of the members (heads of the family) in March 1747, the exiles split into three parishes, one of the Moravian Brethren , a Bohemian Lutheran and a Bohemian Reformed one.

Frederick II then ordered the latter two to  use and own the Bethlehem Church and the parish hall at Wilhelmstrasse 29 from now on. In 1751 the Bohemian supporters of the Brethren set up their own prayer room in a house at Wilhelmstrasse 136 (later in Kreuzberg ). In 1857 they built a new church hall in the courtyard at No. 138, which was destroyed in 1944, but replaced in 1948 by an emergency church in the same place.

The Reformed congregation was initially subordinate to the Reformed Church Directorate of Prussia (1713–1808), the Lutheran to the Lutheran Upper Consistory of Prussia (1750–1808). After the two church administrations were dissolved in 1808 and church matters were taken over by the new culture department in the Prussian Ministry of the Interior, the United Evangelical Church in the Royal Prussian Lands was founded in 1817 , to which both congregations of the Bethlehem Church joined.

The Reformed preacher Benjamin David Elsner had entrusted his duties to the Lutheran preacher Johannes Evangelista Goßner in 1829 . This met with opposition from the Bohemian Reformed presbytery , which invoked Friedrich Wilhelm I's assurance. After Elsner's death in 1831, the Royal Consistory of Brandenburg in Berlin denied that the Reformed congregation appointed a new preacher on its own. The presbyters' protest was punished with arrest of the undersigned. The background to this was also the attempt to urge the Reformed community to join the union with the Lutheran community. Gustav Knak reported that all attempts at union failed in the end. Both congregations retained their denominational independence as two personal congregations , most recently in the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia , which includes Lutheran, Reformed and United Church congregations .

Both parishes jointly maintained the Bohemian cemetery in front of Hallesches Tor . The Bohemian Reformed congregation has had a second preaching site in Böhmisch-Rixdorf at Richardstrasse  97 since 1751 , which was replaced in 1835 by a new building at the same location. There the Bohemian Reformed congregation is also involved in the Bohemian Gottesacker Rixdorf . The Bohemian Lutherans in Rixdorf, on the other hand, formed their own parish and in 1884 acquired the old Rixdorf village church, which has also been called the Bethlehem Church since 1912 .

From 1935 to 1945 Pastor Walter Nordmann officiated at the Bethlehem Church for the Reformed congregation which had joined the Old Prussian Confessing Church after 1933 . The Reformed Congregation took the Dutch Reformed Congregation in Berlin, which many Dutch forced laborers joined during the war, under their protection and helped to look after them.

On November 24, 1943, the Bethlehem Church was destroyed down to the surrounding walls in an Allied air raid . The ruin was demolished in 1954, according to other information not until 1963. The parish and parish house of the Bohemian Reformed congregation at Yorckstrasse  4, built in 1891, was also destroyed in the war, while the prayer hall in Richardstrasse was damaged in 1943.

The members of the Brethren community who lived in East Berlin after the Wall was built used rooms in Kalkscheunenstrasse , while the members of the Bohemian Reformed community there joined the Köpenick Castle Church community . In West Berlin , the two Bohemian Lutheran congregations merged, while the Bohemian Reformed church restored its prayer room in Richardstrasse by April 1950 and continues to use it today. The Brethren in Kreuzberg and Neukölln also merged after 1960 and built a new prayer room in Rixdorf from 1961 to 1962 . The community life of all three communities shifted to Rixdorf (Berlin-Neukölln). In 2005, the Bohemian Lutheran parish of Rixdorf merged with three neighboring Lutheran parishes to form the Evangelical parish of Rixdorf.

legacy

Mauerstrasse around 1776, in the background the church
engraving by J. G. Rosenberg

In addition to the cemeteries and archive materials, the large of the two bells escaped destruction. It was brought to Neukölln, the former Böhmisch-Rixdorf, where it is today in the prayer room of the Evangelical Reformed Bethlehem community (Bohemian was replaced by Evangelical in 1937) in the old school and prayer house (Richardstraße 97).

The Bethlehem Church stood at the confluence of Krausenstrasse and Mauerstrasse, a square that was called Hammelmarkt in the 18th century. In 1999, the previously officially nameless intersection was renamed in memory of the Bethlehem Church in Bethlehemkirchplatz (without s!). At the former location on Bethlehemkirchplatz, the floor plan of the church is indicated in the pavement by different colored stones and next to it the sculpture Houseball by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen reminds of the church and its parishioners. It symbolizes a bundle of household items. There wasn't much that the refugees from Bohemia could take with them.

In 2012, the Spanish conceptual artist Juan Garaizabal created as part of his international project Memorias Urbanas (city memories) with the steel sculpture Memoria Urbana Berlin, a replica of the church in a true-to-scale outline as a light installation.

Well-known parishioners

  • Johann Theophil Elsner, first preacher of the Reformed parish
  • Samuel Elsner , businessman and one of the formative personalities of the Berlin revival movement
  • Johannes Evangelista Goßner , 1829–1846 preacher of the Lutheran parish
  • Johannes Jaenicke / Jan Jenjk, 1792–1827 preacher of the Lutherans, last pastor who knew Czech and used it
  • Gustav Knak , 1850–1878 Lutheran preacher
  • Johann Liberda , obtained the admission of the exiles from Friedrich Wilhelm I., 1737–1742 preacher of the Lutherans, buried under the altar in 1742
  • Andreas Macher , 1742–1754 Lutheran preacher
  • Wilhelm Riehmer , member of the Reformed parish, builder of Riehmers Hofgarten

literature

  • Jürgen Boeckh: Alt-Berliner Stadtkirchen : 2 volumes, Berlin 1986, Haude & Spener (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Volume 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to the St. Hedwig's Cathedral , in particular pp. 95–106 . ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  • Monika Bönisch, Caspar Struckmann: Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln , accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name by the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Neukölln district office of Berlin / Department of Public Education (ed.) , Berlin 1987, Hentrich (= sites of the history of Berlin; Volume 19), ISBN 3-926175-10-9 .
  • Johannes Knak: Festive booklet of the Bohemian-Lutheran congregation of the Bethlehem Church dedicated to their one hundred and fifty-year jubilee celebration on Sunday Jubilee 1887 by their pastor Johannes Knak , Berlin 1987, self-published.
  • Günther Kühne, Elisabeth Stephani: Evangelical churches in Berlin . 2nd Edition. CZV-Verlag, Berlin 1986, ISBN 3-7674-0158-4 , p. 376.
  • Adolf Petranek: Festschrift for the hundred and fifty-year commemoration of the inauguration of the Bethlehem Church in Berlin , ed. on behalf of the elders of the Evangelical Reformed Bohemian Congregation, Berlin 1887, Luckhardt.
  • Udo Wißwede: The Bohemian or Bethlehem Church in Berlin . In: Journal of Construction . Vol. 65 (1915), No. 1, urn : nbn: de: kobv: 109-opus-91994 , pp. 25–32 (with additional images on sheet 7 in the atlas of the year 1915, urn : nbn: de: kobv : 109-opus-92068 ).

Web links

Commons : Bethlehem Church  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Günther Kühne, Elisabeth Stephani: Evangelical churches in Berlin . 2nd Edition. CZV-Verlag, Berlin 1986, ISBN 3-7674-0158-4 , p. 376.
  2. ^ Jürgen Boeckh: Old Berlin city churches . 2 volumes. Haude & Spener, Berlin 1986, (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Vol. 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to St. Hedwig's Cathedral , p. 99. ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  3. ^ Rolf-Herbert Krüger: Friedrich Wilhelm Diterichs: Architect, engineer and construction officer in Prussia in the 18th century . Potsdamer Verl.-Buchh., Potsdam 1994, ISBN 3-910196-11-X , p. 129.
  4. ^ Jürgen Boeckh: Old Berlin city churches . 2 volumes. Haude & Spener, Berlin 1986, (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Vol. 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to St. Hedwig's Cathedral p. 100. ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  5. ^ A b Jürgen Boeckh: Old Berlin city churches . 2 volumes. Haude & Spener, Berlin 1986, (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Volume 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to St. Hedwig's Cathedral , p. 104. ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  6. ↑ Jürgen Boeckh, Alt-Berliner Stadtkirchen : 2 volumes, Berlin: Haude & Spener, 1986, (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Volume 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to the St. Hedwig's Cathedral , p. 97 . ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  7. ↑ a b c d Jürgen Boeckh, Alt-Berliner Stadtkirchen : 2 volumes, Berlin: Haude & Spener, 1986, (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Volume 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to St. Hedwig's Cathedral , P. 102. ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  8. ↑ a b c d e Astrid Hollweg: The Evangelical Reformed Bethlehem Community , in: Monika Bönisch with Caspar Struckmann, Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln , accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name in the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary celebration Berlins, Galerie im Körnerpark, District Office Neukölln of Berlin / Department of Public Education (Ed.), Berlin: Hentrich, 1987, (= sites of the history of Berlin; Volume 19), pp. 149–193, here p. 150. ISBN 3-926175 -10-9 .
  9. ^ A b c Jürgen Boeckh: Old Berlin city churches . 2 volumes. Haude & Spener, Berlin 1986, (= Berlinische Reminiszenzen; Vol. 57–58), Volume 2: From the Dorotheenstädtische Church to St. Hedwig's Cathedral , p. 105. ISBN 3-7759-0289-9 .
  10. ↑ a b c d Astrid Hollweg: The Evangelical Reformed Bethlehem Community . In: Monika Bönisch with Caspar Struckmann: Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln . Accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name in the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Neukölln District Office of Berlin / Department of Public Education (ed.). Hentrich, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-926175-10-9 , pp. 149–193, here p. 151 (= sites of the history of Berlin; volume 19).
  11. ↑ Monika Bönisch with Caspar Struckmann: Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln , accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name in the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Neukölln district office of Berlin / Department of Public Education (ed. ), Berlin: Hentrich, 1987, (= sites of the history of Berlin; Volume 19), p. 127. ISBN 3-926175-10-9 .
  12. ↑ a b c d Astrid Hollweg: The Evangelical Reformed Bethlehem Community . In: Monika Bönisch with Caspar Struckmann: Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln . Accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name in the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Neukölln District Office of Berlin / Department of Public Education (ed.). Hentrich, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-926175-10-9 , pp. 149–193, here p. 152 (= sites of the history of Berlin; volume 19).
  13. ↑ Thorsten Altena: "A little bunch of Christians in the middle of the heathen world of the dark continent": Protestant missionaries' understanding of themselves and others in colonial Africa 1884–1918 . Waxmann, Münster 2003, ISBN 3-8309-1199-8 , p. 225 (= international university publications; volume 395).
  14. ↑ a b c Astrid Hollweg: The Evangelical Reformed Bethlehem Community . In: Monika Bönisch with Caspar Struckmann: Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln . Accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name in the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Neukölln District Office of Berlin / Department of Public Education (ed.). Hentrich, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-926175-10-9 , ISBN 3-926175-10-9 , pp. 149–153, here p. 153 (= sites of the history of Berlin; volume 19).
  15. ↑ Albert Schönleber: Evangelical Brethren . In: Monika Bönisch with Caspar Struckmann: Exulant for the sake of the chalice: 250 years of the Bohemian Village in Berlin-Neukölln , accompanying volume for the exhibition of the same name by the Neukölln district for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Neukölln district office of Berlin / Department of Popular Education (ed .). Hentrich, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-926175-10-9 , pp. 144–145, here p. 145 (= sites of the history of Berlin; volume 19).
  16. ^ Rolf-Herbert Krüger: Friedrich Wilhelm Diterichs: Architect, engineer and construction officer in Prussia in the 18th century . Potsdamer Verl.-Buchh., Potsdam 1994, ISBN 3-910196-11-X , pp. 41 f and 125 f.

Coordinates: 52 ° 30 ′ 33 ″  N , 13 ° 23 ′ 19.6 ″  E