Evangelical Reformed Church in Wölfersheim
Front (south side) |
|
| Ev.-ref. Wölfersheim Church | |
|---|---|
| Edification | 1717 to 1740 |
| Laying of the foundation stone | June 29, 1717 |
| inauguration | May 22, 1741 |
| Architectural style | Late baroque |
| Construction type | transept hall church |
The Evangelical Reformed Church in Wölfersheim is one of the largest baroque transverse churches in Germany, built between 1717 and 1740. It is the house of worship of the Evangelical Reformed congregation in Wölfersheim in the Wetterau and was "the first purely transverse church in the Upper Hessian area" . "The [...] often-expressed assumption that the church [...] was planned as a castle is wrong". On a hill overlooking the village, the church is located in the north of the center of Wölfersheim between Kirchgasse and Wingertstraße.
Previous construction
The previous building, on whose foundation walls the church was partially built, Wölfersheim Castle , with its keep and today's church tower as one of the four defense towers, was part of the former fortifications of Wölfersheim. The foundation walls of the castle formed the eastern part of today's church cellar. From there, two underground battlements lead along under the fortifications. They were walled up in the 1960s. Under the church cellar is a concreted well, which probably secured the water supply for the castle. When and by whom the castle complex was built is not known. The cellars and subterranean battlements of the crumbling complex were reused for the new building for the eastern part of the church.
Building history
Since the late Middle Ages there was an Antonius chapel in Wölfersheim , which originally served as a castle chapel, and since 1611 also as a church for the community. But because the chapel quickly became too small after 1650 and was ultimately dilapidated, it was decided to build a new large church.
Under the government of Count Wilhelm Moritz zu Solms-Braunfels (* 1651, † 1724), the master mason Thomas Sendker and nine workers began breaking the stones on the Singberg on April 14, 1717 . The foundation stone was laid on June 29, 1717. The pastor at the time, Johann Daniel Elling, put his sermon under the Galatians chapter 4, verse 19. The report in the church book about the laying of the foundation stone states:
“Concerning our Newe Church
Today, June 29th, 1717, on our gracious count and hern order, we laid the first foundation stone at the bottom corner after the stain in God, because then I, Joh. (Johann) Daniel Elling, temporal preacher here, also the Previous community inspector had previously taken a short sermon, then first went down, first poured the food under with the ladle wrapped with blue, green and yellow ribbon, then the old Herr von Pappenheim sampled his three sons, item Herr Oberschultheis Jörg, (Görg) Herr Petersohn, the Lord Mayors and Church Elders also did, afterwards the large stone was laid on it, everyone from above struck three times with the hammer, also tied with ribbon, on the same in the presence of many spectators. May God now grace this church building in his honor. Amen."
In 1720 the construction work came to a standstill due to a financial crisis. Wilhelm Diehl writes the following about the "donation" from Herr von Pappenheim:
Neuwied finally paid the sum after a long process before the Reich Chamber of Commerce in Wetzlar. So the construction, as described above, could be continued and in 1737 lumber was bought for the roof structure and the tower hood as well as for the interior work. In 1738 the roof structure and the tower hood were put on under the master carpenter Johann Conrad Öhler. In the same year, the master mason Johann Caspar Mertel created masonry on the three portals, the vault to the church cellar and a window in the tower. Paul Schwenk, Heinrich Hirschsteiner and Johann Hermann Sattler covered the church and the tower with slate . On April 27, the stonemason Johann Wilhelm Büll from Ortenberg and the master glaziers Johannes Wagner and Johannes Zimmer from Nidda were signed. In August 1738 the pews were erected and Johann Peter Hieronymus from Friedberg carried out the stucco and plastering work. The organ was installed in the spring of 1741 and the church was consecrated on May 22, 1741.
Count Wilhelm Moritz zu Solms-Braunfels did not see the completion of the church because he died in 1724. The church was completed under the government of his son Prince Friedrich Wilhelm zu Solms-Braunfels and on the initiative of Pastor Johannes Phillipp Schmitthenner.
Building description
Exterior and facade
The church has a mansard roof , which, like the bell tower, is covered with slate. The southern long side, often also called the magnificent facade, is plastered and architecturally richly structured, in contrast to the three other sides, which are facing the wall. Eugen Rieß describes the south facade in his book 250 Years of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Wölfersheim as follows:
“The threefold structure of the facade is emphasized by the slightly protruding central building with a two-armed main staircase. The two side portals also have stairs that rise to the base and foot height. To the left and right of the main portal, two mighty round columns rise up on high pedestals with richly structured bases and ionizing capitals with volutes . A three-part architrave with crankings rests on them , as well as a cornice with a tooth cut , egg stick and a plate with carnies , which protrudes strongly. The architrave is supported by two pilasters with corresponding capitals on each side. The pilasters are arranged in the same way as the columns. In front of the mansard roof, the cornice consoles of the central building support a pointed arched field that is clad with slate . Windows and doors are framed with profiled walls, which are also rounded down with a semicircle at the side portals. "
The pillars and borders are made of hard sandstone from Rockenberg . The inscription above the central portal, which reports on the situation at the time, is linguistically simplified:
“Under the government and with the help of the high-born Count and Lord, Herr Wilhelm Moritzen, Count zu Solms-Braunfels , building this church on Burgplatz has started, under the government and on the gracious orders of the High-Born Count and Herr Friedrich Wilhelm, Count zu Solms-Barunfels, through donation of Mr. KW von Pappenheim 6000 fl as well as at the expense of the community. Anno 1740. "
Floor plan and interior
2 sacristy
3 pulpit and supper table (pulpit wall)
4 central portal
5 side portals
6 staircases to the gallery
The transverse nave church , built in the late baroque style, has a wooden two-storey pulpit wall in the interior on the north side, which separates the sacristy from the community room. The sacristy annex connects the transept with the church tower. The Lord's Supper table is located directly in front of the pulpit, on which there is a book stand from 1987. Opposite the pulpit wall was the patron's box with its own staircase and window fronts, the frames of which are still there today. The organ is located in the middle of the former patronage box. On the two narrow sides there is a gallery with rising rows of benches.
Major renovations to the church took place in 1855 and 1856, 1912, 1927, 1958 and 1967. In 1953 the interior was specially renovated and new lamps purchased. During the renewed renovation from 1979 to 1980, the current appearance of the interior was created. During this renovation, the sandstone floor was replaced by marble slabs. The cross-shaped seating arrangement was made by Pastor Schmitthenner in 1738. The Solms-Braunfels building director Johann Ludwig Knoch delivered the final design for the interior in 1739.
At the beginning of the 1980s, a barrier-free access was created.
Pulpit wall
Pews
Baptismal bowl
Monogram of Friedrich Wilhelm Graf zu Solms-Braunfels
organ
The first organ was installed above the pulpit in the spring of 1741. It comes from the organ builder Conrad Lindt from Weckesheim and was destroyed by a lightning strike on November 10, 1875.
Today's organ comes from the organ builders Bernhard Brothers from Gambach and cost 4,300 marks. It was built on the opposite side, on the site of the patron s box, and inaugurated in October 1877. The received instrument has 13 registers , divided into two manuals and pedal . The transversely rectangular housing is characterized by three flat fields with coupled round arches. The middle pipe field emerges like a risk.
In 1953 the organ received an electric fan from the organ building company Förster & Nicolaus from Lich .
Steeple
The lower part of today's church tower used to be a keep of Wölfersheim Castle and was included as a fortified tower in the medieval fortifications. Its current height is 37 m, but it was only reached after the three-storey curved tower dome was erected in July 1738. The steeple was gilded in June 1739 by the Laubach painter Weiz. The master slater Schneider renovated the church tower in November 1848. In 1865 a new tower clock was purchased.
On November 10, 1875, lightning struck the tower, which destroyed, among other things, the first organ, a piece of the slate roofing and the clock case .
In the 1980s toilets were installed in the church tower and false ceilings and steel stairs were installed in the top of the tower . The latter are a donation from PreussenElektra .
Bells
| Timeline about bells in Wölfersheim | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1596 | First news about bells in Wölfersheim | |
| 17th century | Several entries by Rev. Georg Venator about bell foundations | |
| 1690 | Acquisition of another bell | |
| 1725 | Casting of the largest bell at that time into a new bell | |
| 1862 | Purchase of two new bells; Melting down of the bell from 1690 | |
| 1917 | The two bells from 1862 are smashed and the proceeds added to the war loan | |
| 1921 | New purchase of two bells | |
| 1941 | Again two bells had to be delivered for war purposes | |
| 1951 | Acquisition of three cast iron bells | |
| 1986 | Acquisition of three bronze bells due to damage caused by the excessive weight of the cast iron bells | |
In 1596 a bell tower (the black tower ) is mentioned for the first time in the fortress book , which was started in 1589 . This is the first news about church bells in Wölfersheim. In the records of Pastor Georg Venator there are later several entries about bell foundations. In 1690 another bell was purchased in addition to this. What happened to the bells of the Antonius Chapel, with the exception of the bell from 1690, can no longer be verified.
The bell from 1725
The oldest of today's bells was cast by Philipp Schweitzer from Werdorf in May 1725 . It is a casting of the oldest bell in Wölfersheim, cast around 1611, which is cracked. The long inscription on this bell, which is the only one of the bells from before 1945, reads:
- Under the government of the high-born Count and Mr. Friedrich Wilhelm Graf zu Solms Braunfels and Tecklenburg .
- Past pastors were the honorable HC Elling, Karl E. Gloes Schultheiss and Johannes Alt and Konrad Keller Burgmeister .
- The community of Wölfersheim had this bell cast.
- Philipp Schweitzer von Wehrdorff poured me out of the fire.
- JJ Weller
- When I let you hear my voice
- everybody take it to heart
- and run eagerly to the place
- Where to proclaim God's word
- Don't let your hearts be hardened
- When the Lord God beckons you through me
- As God's Word is preached
- Oh thinks it's the good shepherd
- Who calls you to pasture
- For the bliss of your souls
- Amen 1725.
It is a Molloctave bell with the strike note h 1 .
The bells of 1862
In 1862 two new bells were purchased and the bell from 1690 melted down. The pastor Philipp Kring received the inscription on this bell:
- In 1690 the citizens of Wölfersheim had this bell cast for God's service.
- In the name of God I flowed, Schmidt Dilemon von Aslar poured me.
In 1862, Philipp Bach von Windecken cast the two bells that were inaugurated for confirmation on June 6th that same year. The largest of the two bells weighed 1,269.50 pounds and the smaller 372.50 pounds. They cost a total of 1,307 thalers and 54 cruisers. The largest bell bore the following inscription:
- Gather around the Lord's altar
- Faithful Christians
- Thank you for joy carry heavenward
- Strength and consolation in the praying heart
- Announcing the rapid flight of time
- always remind you of eternity
In August 1868 the smaller bell broke during a mourning chime for Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich zu Solms-Braunfels and was cast again by Bach in 1869. In 1917, when the organ pipes had to be given in as war loans for the First World War , the two bells in the church tower were smashed and carried down in pieces. Until 1921, the parish only owned the oldest bell from 1725. The proceeds were added to the war loan.
The bells from 1921
The church council and parish council decided again in 1921 to buy two new bells. They were cast by the Rincker bell foundry from Sinn and sounded in the tones f sharp 1 and a 1 and weighed 620 kg and 370 kg. In the same year on April 27th they were placed in the church tower.
The two bells had the following inscriptions:
- f sharp 1 bell
- In iron time
- consecrated to the Lord
- us to bliss.
- a 1 bell
- I rejoice Fried and Freud
- I hear pleasure and sorrow
- I call for eternity.
After 20 years, in 1941, they had to be delivered for the Second World War .
The bells from 1951
After only having one bell again in 1941, the decision was made 10 years later to buy new bells. Cast iron bells from the company Weule from Bockenem were acquired despite resistance from the pastor Eitel and the bell expert of the regional church . The resistance is based on the higher weight, the consequences of which became apparent 30 years later. The advantages lay in the price due to the limited financial possibilities at the time. When, on August 3, 1951, the then mayor Pfeffer promised a third bell if cast iron bells were used, the disputes subsided. Another reason why the decision was made to buy is the fear of losing bronze bells for war purposes, as this has already happened twice. They were inaugurated on October 21, 1951.
The inscriptions on the three bells read:
- e 1 bell
- Land, land, hear the word of the Lord.
- In memory of the victims of the two wars 1914–1918 and 1939–1945.
- f sharp 1 bell
- Christ says: You are afraid in the world, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
- John 16:23
- a 1 bell
- Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- Mt 4.17
The bells from 1986
In 1983 there was considerable damage to the bell tower. The spire was visible to waver when ringing. The damage was repaired and it was decided to buy three new bronze bells. They were cast by the Bachert bell foundry in Heilbronn . The three new bronze bells sound like the cast iron bells in the tones e 1 , f sharp 1 and a 1 .
They have the following inscriptions:
- e 1 bell
- O land, land, hear the word of the Lord.
- The names of the pastors and church leaders are inscribed.
- f sharp 1 bell
- Glory to God on high and peace on earth.
- a 1 bell
- Lord, I love the place of your home
The bells cost 156,000 DM . Thanks to many donations and the efforts of Pastor Wilhelm Brandt, half of the costs were borne by the parish and the church leadership. On May 24, 1986, they were brought into the church tower. There was a festival service on June 1, 1986.
Bells today
Today the church has four bells, the oldest from 1725 and the three new bronze bells from 1986.
List of pastors in Wölfersheim
The parish succession after the Reformation. From 1628 to 1635 there are gaps in the parish succession due to the confusion of the Thirty Years' War .
- 1529–1571, Seifried Bender, a former monk of the Ilbenstadt monastery
- 15 ?? - 15 ??, Antonius pupil
- 1571–157 ?, Valentin Textor
- 1573-1612, Symon Laurelius. He was the first Reformed pastor since 1611. With him Wölfersheim became an independent parish.
- 1612–1621, Eberhard Venator
- 1621–1628, Johannes Dimpelius
- 1631–1632, Johann Manderbach
- after 1635–1671, Johann Georg Venator
- 1671–1695, Nicolaus Willius
- 1696-1717, Castendyk
- 1717-1720, Johann Daniel Elling
- 1720–1731, Karl Hermann Elling
- 1731–1772, Johannes Philipp Schmitthenner
- 1772–1813, Johann Peter Müller
- 1813–1824, Wilhelm Friedrich Seipp
- 1824-18 ??, Heinrich Graff, parish vicar
- 18 ?? - 1829, Ludwig Rau, parish vicar
- 1829–1842, Johann Jacob Buss
- 1842–1845, Wilhelm Buss, parish vicar
- 1845–1847, Christian Hofmann
- 1847–1865, Johann Philipp Kring
- 1861–1863, Friedrich Pfannmüller, parish vicar
- 1863–1866, Friedrich Decker, parish vicar
- 1866–1882, Karl Christian Friedrich, released from parish service in Weckesheim since 1880
- 1882–1886, Heinrich Schmidt, Södel , vacancy representation
- 1886–1902, Gustav Theodor Mencke
- 1902–1902, Peter Schweikert
- 1902–1929, Friedrich Clotz
- 1929–1930, Paul Lenz, Wohnbach , later also Confessing Church , vacancy representation
- 1930–1934, August Herber
- 1934–1952, Berthold Eitel, Confessing Church
- 1949–1972, Julius Schulha
- 1973–1976, Heinrich Schäfer, Wohnbach, vacancy representation
- 1976-2006, Wilhelm Brandt
- 2006–2009, Norbertwege
- 2009–2009, Uwe Wagner-Schwalbe, vacancy representation
- 2010–2015, Edwin Tonn
- 2016–2016, Uwe Wagner-Schwalbe, vacancy representation
- 2016 ff, Lars Stephan
See also
literature
- Eugen Rieß, 250 years of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Wölfersheim , commemorative publication on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of its inauguration on May 22, 1991, May 1991. Wölfersheim 1991.
- Kathrin Ellwardt, The evang.-ref. Wölfersheim Church - A short guide , Marburg, March 1994, 1 page
- Kathrin Ellwardt, church building between evangelical ideals and absolutist rule. The cross churches in the Hessian area from the Reformation century to the Seven Years' War. Dissertation Marburg 2000. Michael Imhof Verlag Petersberg 2004. ISBN 3-937251-34-0 .
- Herbert Meyer, family book Wölfersheim from 1637 . Family book of the evangelical-reformed parish from 1637. Darmstadt 2001 = writings of the Hessische Familiengeschichtlichen Vereinigung e. V. 33.
Web links
- The website of the Evangelical Reformed Church Community in Wölfersheim
- Descriptions on DenkXWeb of the State Office for Monument Preservation Hessen
Individual evidence
Eugen Rieß: 250 Years of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Wölfersheim , Festschrift (book), May 1991
- ↑ a b c d Eugen Rieß, 250 years of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Wölfersheim. Festschrift on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of its inauguration. May 22, 1991. Wölfersheim 1991, p. 9.
- ↑ a b pp. 10-12.
- ↑ a b pp. 13-15.
- ↑ a b c p. 15.
- ↑ pp. 16 and 20.
- ↑ a b c p. 16.
- ↑ p. 20.
- ↑ pp. 67-69.
- ↑ pp. 70-71.
- ↑ p. 72, with reference to: Pfarrchronik, KAW, p. 25.
- ↑ p. 72, with reference to: Pfarrchronik, KAW, p. 25, also court book 1650 ff, p. 180.
- ↑ p. 72, with reference to: Pfarrer Clotz, E., Pfarrchronik, KAW, p. 25, o. P.
- ↑ p. 72, with reference to: Pfarrchronik, KAW, p. 165.
- ↑ p. 72, with reference to: Pfarrchronik, KAW, p. 189.
- ↑ p. 73.
- ↑ pp. 73-75.
- ↑ a b p. 75
- ↑ pp. 92-108.
Other:
- ^ Rudolf Knappe: Medieval castles in Hessen. 800 castles, castle ruins and fortifications. 3. Edition. Wartberg-Verlag, Gudensberg-Gleichen 2000 ISBN 3-86134-228-6 p. 344 f.
- ^ Wilhelm Diehl, building book for the Protestant parishes of the sovereign lands and the acquired areas, Darmstadt 1935, p. 186.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Kathrin Ellwardt: The Evang.-ref. Wölfersheim Church. - A short guide, Marburg, March 1994.
- ^ Franz Bösken , Hermann Fischer : Sources and research on the organ history of the Middle Rhine (= contributions to the Middle Rhine music history . Volume 29.2 ). tape 3 : Former province of Upper Hesse. Part 2: M-Z . Schott, Mainz 1988, ISBN 3-7957-1331-5 , p. 989 .
- ^ Robert Schäfer: Hessian bell inscriptions (PDF; 37.7 MB), in: Archives for Hessian history and antiquity. 15, 1884, p. 521 f.
Coordinates: 50 ° 24 ′ 3.1 ″ N , 8 ° 48 ′ 47.7 ″ E