Chapel of the Three Stones

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The Badener-Hof-Kaserne 1960. The one-story Chapel of the Three Stones can be seen between the two large buildings.

The Chapel of the three stones or Chapel of the Three Stones was a US-chapel in the former Baden-yard Barracks in Heilbronn . It was inaugurated on June 8, 1953 and demolished in 1992. Rabbi Melvin Berger, Benedictine Father Andreas Michalski and Chaplain Cloma A. Huffmann worked in this ecumenical sacred building . From 1955, Huffmann became an army chaplain at the West Point Military Academy .

Location

The location of the chapel was the Badener Hof barracks (formerly Ludendorff barracks) on Einsteinstrasse. When the US troops occupied the barracks, they built a US church with an altar in 1953, in which a rubble stone from the Protestant Kilians church and the Catholic Augustine church as well as a stone from the Heilbronn synagogue were built. The church windows were the work of the art glass maker August Döttling (1875–1956) from Sontheim . The US Church was open to believers of the Christian and Jewish denominations. Adalbert Burkart describes this as follows:

“The Benedictines of Grüssau Abbey were expelled from their Silesian homeland . After a long search they found a new home in 1947 in the knight monastery Bad Wimpfen im Tal , which was closed in 1803 . They were immediately available to help out when there were no Catholic priests in the area. This lack was also noticeable in the American occupation forces. Despite the prohibition of fraternization, the then General Patton allowed German priests to hold Catholic services as temporary workers for his soldiers. On Christmas Day 1946, the Benedictine Father Andreas Michalski held the first service in a tent on Charlottenstrasse. The Americans have been making use of his loyal service for 30 years, for which they invited him to the USA some time ago and made him an honorary chaplain of the US Army. In the meantime, two small churches have been built for them, in 1951 on Charlottenstrasse and 1953 in the Badener Hof barracks. In the altar of the latter are built rubble stones from the Kilians and Augustine churches as well as from the Jewish synagogue, which is why it bears the name "Chapel of the Three Stones", as a sign that it belongs to the three denominations Available. Your glass windows were made by the Sontheim artist Döttling. "

The Benedictine Father Andreas Michalski led the service for the Catholic soldiers who visited the chapel to the three stones since 1953. The article "Chapel to the 3 stones" reports in the Baden barracks. Inaugurated fifteen years ago. "Holy" in three languages ​​/ Under the sign of German-American friendship in the Heilbronn voice:

“Over the past 15 years, many thousands of American soldiers have gathered in the" Chapel of the 3 Stones "for worship. They are always deeply impressed when the German Benedictine Father Andreas, who has looked after the Catholic soldiers in this chapel since 1953, explains the history and the meaning of the three stones to them. "

history

Colonel John Watt, who had been the commander of the units stationed there since 1952, had the idea of ​​building a chapel in the Badener Hof barracks. Due to a lack of financial means, however, no new building could be made. Only an elongated horse stable, which had been bombed out, was converted into a church. Brigadier General E. McGinley from Stuttgart financially supported the renovation with 20,000 dollars to create a roof and heating systems. Chaplain Cloma A. Huffmann, first pastor of the "Kapelle zu den 3 Steinen" (Chapel of the 3 Stones) sought contact with the various German church bodies in order to get help with the interior decoration. The pastor Max Herrenkind from the Catholic Augustinus Church first donated an undamaged sandstone altar from the church that weighed 2000 kilos. The congregation of the Augustine Church originally did not agree, so it was said: " The Americans are stealing our altar" , but later an agreement was reached. The front of the altar showed the word holy in Latin (sanctus), English (holy) and Hebrew (kodesch). Under the Latin word sanctus, a stone from the Catholic Augustine Church was placed, which was then donated by Pastor Wetzel from the Augustine Church. Under the English word holy, a stone from the Gothic choir from the 13th century of the Protestant Kilian's Church was placed, which was donated by Dean Gerhardt. A stone from the Stuttgart synagogue was placed under the Hebrew word kodesch, which was built by the rabbi of the Stuttgart synagogue Dr. Neufeld had been donated. The three oblong rectangular stones stood at the foot of the altar.

inauguration

According to the chronicle of the city of Heilbronn , the American army chapel "To the Three Stones" was inaugurated on June 7, 1953 in the Wharton Barracks. The year 1953 was also mentioned as the date for the “To the Three Stones” chapel in Heilbronn , 750 years of the coming of the German Order . The commanding General von Stuttgart, Brigadier General Eugène McGinlay and the Commander in Chief of the 7th Army, Lieutenant General William M. Hoge were present at the inauguration. According to an article in Heilbronner Voice, the inauguration said:

“The ordination on June 8, 1953 also showed the friendly relationships. In addition to Generals William M. Hoge and McGinley and senior officers, Lord Mayor Meyle, Mayor Dr. Nägele, Prelate Lempp, Pastor Herrenkind, City Pastor Wetzel, Father Andreas from the Abbey of St. Peter in Wimpfen and Senior Building Officer Dr. That took part in the celebration [...] Three army chaplains from three denominations united at the inauguration in prayer for peace among the peoples. The ceremony was taken over by German television "

Furthermore, it says in another article of the Heilbronner Voice:

"The inauguration of the" Chapel to the Three Stones "heralded the long history of German-American friendship in Heilbronn in a reconciliation service on June 8, 1953. The ceremony with three army chaplains of three denominations was then taken over by German television. "

In later years, the inauguration on June 8, 1953 was always commemorated with a festive service. For example, the 16th anniversary of the inauguration was celebrated and the 20th anniversary as well, when the chapel was described as a "sacred monument to the brotherhood of all men".

Surname

In an article in Neckar-Echo A strange house of God. Horse stable becomes chapel / community work in the service of three denominations it is explained that the choice of the name should symbolize a symbolic union of the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish faith. So it says:

"The chapel was named" Chapel of the Three Stones "and its own original symbol is that of the union - an association of Germans and Americans, an association that recognizes the sanctity of each faith, for it becomes the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish Denominations also serve as a place of worship. "

In another article in Heilbronn's voice "Kapelle zu den 3 Steinen" in the Baden barracks. Inaugurated fifteen years ago. "Heilig" in three languages ​​/ Under the sign of German-American friendship , when discussing the choice of a name for the US chapel, the help of the German Heilbronn parishes also underlines:

“The chapel symbolizes the union in the creed of the Jews, Protestants and Catholics, which serves as a place of worship for these denominations alike. Its title "To the three stones" also says that German Heilbronn parishes laid the foundation stones for the sacrificial altar of the chapel, which is only available to the US soldiers stationed there. "

use

On July 12, 1955, Martin Niemöller also spoke in the chapel . About the visit of Niemöller on July 12, 1955 in the chapel, an article in the Stuttgarter Zeitung states an American one-thousand-mark donation for St. Kilian. Parish "of the Three Stones" in the service of Kilian's Church in Heilbronn,

“Tomorrow, Sunday, the Protestant parish of the Chapel of the Three Stones from the Badenerhof barracks will visit Kilian's Church from 9.30 am to 10.30 am [...] the Protestants of the Badenerhof barracks will continue many of the planned projects in the service of Development of the spiritual life [...] For example, the men from the Badenerhof visit Dr. Martin Niemöller and his address on July 12th in the Badenerhof are the godfathers "

On August 7, 1955, the chronicle states that a group of young people from Heilbronn had been visiting the chapel for some time to attend the vespers of chaplain Leonard W. Keck. Afterwards there were various discussions between the young people from Heilbronn and the members of the infantry regiment, led by chaplain Peter L. Kjeseth, over snacks and music in the vestibule of the chapel.

destruction

In an article by Heilbronn Voice, window robbery in a former US chapel. Nothing is "sacred" to robber barons from 1993 describes how shortly before the sacred building was demolished, it was looted. So it says:

“Nothing seems sacred to robber barons in the disbanded US barracks. Nine stained-glass stained glass windows were recently stolen from the "Chapel of the Three Stars". Only two firmly anchored windows remained [...] While the material damage is difficult to estimate, part of an artistic ensemble has been lost with the windows, in which, in addition to the German-American friendship, the ecumenism of three denominations is symbolized [...] The windows were to Inauguration of the chapel in 1953 by the then 80 year old artist August Döttling. The motifs come from the Jewish and Christian tradition. The motif of the Mosaic Tables of the Law and the Star of David could be saved. Two windows each with an Easter lamb, a dove and a cross motif were stolen. The heart of the chapel, the reconciliation altar, comes from the Aukirche, which was bombed on December 4, 1944, and was saved. A few days before the window robbery, Pastor Roland Silzle had secured three symbolically valuable stones. They came from the ruins of the Heilbronn or Stuttgart synagogue, as well as from the Heilbronn Evangelical Kilians Church and the Catholic St. Augustine Church [...] The two-ton sandstone altar, of course, remained unchanged. Today, Thursday, a delegation from the Aukirchen parish and the municipal civil engineering office wants to check the weighty piece for its transportability. The two windows and the altar as a complete ensemble in a new place are intended to keep alive the thought of reconciliation beyond the Second World War, the post-war period and the withdrawal of the Army. In addition to the Aukirche, the Wertwiesenpark is also being discussed as a location [...] "

In another article in Heilbronner Voice, hamsters on fenced barracks. In the former US barracks Badenerhof in Heilbronn, the rooms are diligently cannibalized. explains the fate of the pews of the US Chapel on the Three Stones and other items sold by the Federal Property Office:

"Since the last American soldier left the barracks in the east of Heilbronn in autumn 1992, some contemporaries have been practicing hamstering in the fenced-in area [...] But not everything that is missing has been stolen [...] The pews from the" chapel to the three stones "should hike on the Gaffenberg [...] Much that the burglars escaped, the Federal Property Office has sold to private individuals or recycling companies. The second-hand business has brought in 60,000 marks so far, according to chief officer Kroeker [...] "

Today the Badener Hof residential area is located there .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 750 Years of Coming from the Teutonic Order published by the Parish Office of St. Peter and Paul, Heilbronn, 1977 page 87
  2. ↑ Article "Chapel to the 3 Stones" in the Baden barracks. Inaugurated fifteen years ago. "Heilig" in three languages ​​/ Under the sign of German-American friendship in the Heilbronner Voice of May 10, 1968, No. 108, p. 9
  3. ↑ Article "Chapel to the 3 Stones" in the Baden barracks. Inaugurated fifteen years ago. "Holy" in three languages ​​/ Under the sign of German-American friendship in the Heilbronner Voice of May 10, 1968, No. 108, p. 9 and article Chapel to the Three Stones in the Badenerhof barracks 25 years old. A sign for German - American Friendship of June 7, 1978, No. 128, p. 12
  4. ↑ a b article A strange house of God. Horse stable becomes chapel / community work in the service of three denominations in Neckar-Echo from June 5, 1963, No. 128
  5. ^ Renz, Alexander: Chronicle of the city of Heilbronn. Volume VII: 1952-1957. Edited by Susanne Schlösser, Heilbronn 1996 ( ISBN 978-3-928990-60-8 ), p. 120
  6. ↑ 750 Years of the Teutonic Order, published by the Parish Office of St. Peter and Paul, Heilbronn, 1977 page 87
  7. ↑ Article "Chapel to the 3 Stones" in the Baden barracks. Inaugurated fifteen years ago. "Heilig" in three languages ​​/ Under the sign of German-American friendship in the Heilbronner Voice of May 10, 1968, No. 108, p. 9
  8. ↑ Article Three denominations one house of God in the Heilbronner Voice of July 13, 1992, No. 159, p. 14 by Kilian Krauth
  9. ^ Article in Heilbronner Voice of June 10, 1969, No. 130, p. 11
  10. ↑ Article in Heilbronner Voice of June 9, 1973, No. 132, p. 24
  11. ↑ Article A strange house of God. Horse stable becomes chapel / community work in the service of three denominations in Neckar-Echo from June 5, 1963, No. 128
  12. ↑ Article "Chapel to the 3 Stones" in the Baden barracks. Inaugurated fifteen years ago. "Heilig" in three languages ​​/ Under the sign of German-American friendship in the Heilbronner Voice of May 10, 1968, No. 108, p. 9
  13. ^ Renz, Alexander: Chronicle of the city of Heilbronn. Volume VII: 1952-1957. Edited by Susanne Schlösser, Heilbronn 1996 ( ISBN 978-3-928990-60-8 ), p. 278 and p. 279
  14. ↑ Article in the Stuttgarter Zeitung from July 1955 p. 51 American one-thousand-mark donation for St. Kilian. Parish "of the Three Stones" in the service of Kilian's Church in Heilbronn
  15. ^ Renz, Alexander: Chronicle of the city of Heilbronn. Volume VII: 1952-1957. Edited by Susanne Schlösser, Heilbronn 1996 ( ISBN 978-3-928990-60-8 ), p. 284
  16. ^ Article in the Heilbronner Voice of February 25, 1993, No. 46, p. 24 by "kra": Window robbery in a former US chapel. Nothing is sacred to robber barons.
  17. ↑ Article by Heilbronner Voice Hamsters on fenced barracks. In the former US barracks Badenerhof in Heilbronn, the rooms are diligently cannibalized. of February 25, 1993, No. 46, p. 24

Coordinates: 49 ° 8 ′ 4 "  N , 9 ° 14 ′ 53"  E