Winged altar of the Ludgeri Church (north)

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The high altar

The triptych of Ludgeri Church in the north is one of 13 font altars in East Friesland and is considered the oldest surviving writing altar. It was created in 1577 as a redesign of a late Gothic carved altar. In northern Germany, after the Reformation , especially in the 16th and 17th centuries , written altars often took the place of medieval sculptures in Reformed and Lutheran churches.

history

Of the five altars that stood in the Ludgeri Church before the Reformation , the high altar (made around 1480?) Is the only one that has been partially preserved. The late Gothic carved altar was probably a Marian altar and was probably part of the initial equipment of the Gothic high choir built around 1450 . The late Gothic canopy is still preserved from the original altar, which is decorated on the upper edge with keel arches , pinnacles , finials and Gothic crabs .

Around 1527 the Reformation entered the north. Most of the sculptures in the church were then destroyed or whitewashed. During this time, Lutherans and Calvinists (Reformed) fought bitterly over the church order. Initially, the Reformed had the upper hand. Since 1565 the first pastor's office was occupied by the moderately reformed pastor Andreas Larletanus and the second pastor's office by Adolph Empenius, who was more of a militant reformist. Probably in 1576, Larletanus gave the order to convert the reredos into a Reformed written altar by inserting a large panel using the housing of the former convertible altar, which has long since been cleared. This corresponded to the Calvinist understanding of the second commandment now to be read on the altar of writing : DV SCHALT DY NENE BILDE STILL GELIKENISSE MAKE. DO NOT SAY SE TO VND DENE EN. (You shall not make yourself an image or any parable. Do not worship them or serve them.). Instead of the pictures, the congregation was therefore presented with liturgical texts. To do this, the craftsmen should create an integrated bench and a free-standing communion table.

The closed written altar with the 10 commandments in a reformed version

When Larletanus died unexpectedly on July 13, 1577, the denominational dispute flared up again. In addition, the north got into the power struggle of the brothers Edzard II. , Who was Lutheran-minded, and the reformed Johann II. , Who at that time jointly held sovereignty over East Frisia, but de facto each governed for themselves. In the north, both brothers claimed the right to fill the vacant pastor's position. Whether the altar was already finished at this time cannot be determined with certainty, because one can only see the final account of December 24, 1577 for the commissioned carpenter (Johan Snitker), who had carried out his work during the accounting year. He had been commissioned to buy fine, knot-free oak wood to make a table at which the Lord's Supper would be celebrated according to the Reformed rite. It was also about the blackboard and the bank.

In the power struggle, Edzard II ultimately prevailed and in the spring of 1578 Adolph Empenius was also relieved of his pastoral office and his position was filled with a Lutheran. During this time, the Reformed initially resorted to the inn that Johann II assigned them as a preaching place. Since they were also expelled there in 1579, Norden is definitely Lutheran.

The crucifixion of Christ by Friedr. Corn. de Hosson from 1785

In the Ludgeri Church, the now Lutheran congregation was faced with the dilemma of owning a recently completed Reformed communion ensemble including tablets, for which there was no longer any liturgical use due to the abrupt change of denomination. The congregation decided to pay the still open craftsman's bills and probably closed the altar at the end of 1578 to cover up the Calvinist inscriptions on the Last Supper. A year later, the production of a lock was also commissioned in order to make unauthorized opening of the wings finally impossible. How long the altar remained in this condition is unclear, possibly 103 years, until the scrolling retable was reopened in 1682 and decorated with the four "Lutheran" angel heads in the corners.

This condition was then visible for another 103 years, until in 1785 the three paintings by the Groningen portrait and history painter Friedr. Corn. de Hosson were nailed to the inner tablets, covering them again. In the center there was a representation of the Last Supper, to the left and right of it paintings of the crucifixion and the descent from the cross of Jesus. The outer pages with the Ten Commandments were painted over in blue. In 1872 the freestanding table was moved to the back wall by removing the bench.

In 1983 the paintings were removed for restoration, so that the lettering came to light again. The faded azurite blue background of the completely preserved gold letters was renewed, as was the earlier color of the rest of the altar. The Ten Commandments on the outside of the altar wings were restored in 1892, albeit with a black background. The free-standing communion table was moved away again and the bench reconstructed so that the altar of writing can be seen in its original form again today. The removed paintings have been hanging on the south wall of the nave since then.

description

The tablets with the texts of the Lord's Supper

Overall, the winged altar is over 5 meters high. In addition to the actual altar, the ensemble also includes the Gothic canopy with richly carved tracery ornaments, a wooden table in antique temple architecture and a representative six-seat bench behind the table. It is completed by knee benches on the side, which were probably added in 1785.

When closed, the Norder Altar presents itself in the form of a two-door cabinet. When open, three tablets with inscriptions in Low German can be seen. The central panel is also decorated with an illusionistically painted framework. The frame of the altar is gray-blue, while the decorative elements alternate with red and green lustered silver. The fillings are azurite colors, while the antiqua writing on the panels is gold-plated.

The triptych is described in Middle Low German . When open, an excerpt from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians can be seen on each of the two wings . They are on the left 1 Cor 10.15 to 17  EU and on the right 1 Cor 11.26 to 28  EU . The inauguration text for the Lord's Supper is listed on the middle panel ( 1 Cor 11 : 23-25  EU ):

"VNSE HERE IHESVS CHRISTVS INDER NIGHT, DO HE VORRADEN WART, NAM HE DAT BRODT, DANCKEDE VND BRACK IDT, VND GAFF IDT SINEN IVNGERN VN (D) SPRACK: NEMET HEN VND ETHET, DAT IS MYN LYFF DATVE VOR (IVW) VALUE. SYLCKES DOTH THO MYNER MEMORIES.
DESSVLVE (N) GELIKE (N) NAM HE OCK DE (N) KELCK NA DE (M) AVENDT ETENDE, DANCKEDE VN (D) GAFF EN DEN VN (D) SPRACK: NEMET HE (N) VN (D) DRINCKET ALLE DARVTH . DISSE KELCK IS DAT NYE TESTAMENT IN MYNE (M) BLODE, DAT VOR IVW VORGATEN WERT, THOR VORGEVINGE DER SVNDEN. SVLCKES DHOT, SO VAKE (N) ALSE GY IDT DRINCKEN, THO MYNER MEMORIES. "

The text is in the evangelical version of the consecration words : Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed, he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said: Take and eat: This is my body, that is given for you. Do such in my memory. Likewise, he took the cup after the Lord's Supper, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Take it, and drink it, all of you: This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in memory of me.

The double doors were kept closed during the daily weekly services, following liturgical practice. The ten commandments that regulate everyday life are listed on the weekday page.

The wooden communion table in ancient temple architecture, divided into three fields by Ionic columns, replaced the original stone cafeteria in 1577 .

The two knee benches to the right and left of the altar probably date from 1785.

literature

  • Robert Noah: The Ludgerikirche to the north. The construction and its equipment . In: Yearbook of the Society for Fine Art and Patriotic Antiquities in Emden . Vol. 66. Verlag Ostfriesische Landschaft Aurich 1986, ISSN  0341-969X , pp. 65-93.
  • Dietrich Diederichs-Gottschalk : The Protestant written altars of the 16th and 17th centuries in northwest Germany . Regensburg 2005, ISBN 3-7954-1762-7 .
  • Ufke Cremer: From the history of the Ludgerikirche . In: Festschrift on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Reformation in the north . North 1926.
  • Ufke Cremer: 1445-1945. Five hundred years from the history of the Ludgerikirche . In: Reminder sheets for the 500th anniversary of the Ludgerikirche Norden . North 1946.
  • Gottfried Kiesow: Architecture Guide East Friesland . Verlag Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz, Bonn 2010, ISBN 978-3-86795-021-3 .
  • Gottfried Kiesow: East Frisian Art . Pewsum 1969 (East Frisia in the protection of the dyke, Volume 4).
  • Karl Lange: The Ludgerikirche in the north ( large architectural monuments , issue 219). 3rd edition, Munich / Berlin 1977.
  • Robert Noah: The Ludgerikirche to the north. The construction and its equipment . In: Yearbook of the Society for Fine Art and Patriotic Antiquities in Emden . Vol. 66. Verlag Ostfriesische Landschaft Aurich 1986, ISSN  0341-969X , pp. 65-93.
  • Reinhard Ruge: The rediscovered altar of writing . In: Festschrift for the rededication of the restored Ludgerikirche with Arp Schnitger organ . North 1985.
  • Reinhard Ruge (text), Ev.-luth. Ludgerigemeinde Norden (ed.): The Ludgeri church to the north. 2nd Edition. North 2015.
  • Reinhard Ruge: Ludgerikirche to the north. Concise church leader . North 2006.
  • Menno Smid: East Frisian Church History . Pewsum 1974 (East Frisia in the Protection of the Dyke, Volume 6).

Web links

Commons : Altar of the Ludgerikirche north (East Friesland)  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Nordwest-Zeitung of May 8, 2007: Last Judgment , accessed on September 30, 2011.
  2. ↑ sehepunkte 7 (2007), No. 4: Review of Dietrich Diederichs-Gottschalk: The Protestant written altars of the 16th and 17th centuries in northwest Germany , viewed on September 30, 2011.
  3. ↑ a b c d e Dietrich Diederichs-Gottschalk: Lutheran and Reformed written altars of the 16th and 17th centuries in north-west Germany (PDF; 132 kB) , lecture on the conference of the Evang. Kirchenbauverein Berlin on May 15, 2007 in Dargun, viewed on October 19, 2010
  4. ↑ Dr. Thomas Buske: Review of Dietrich Diederichs-Gottschalk: The Protestant written altars of the 16th and 17th centuries in north-west Germany (PDF; 72 kB), accessed on September 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ a b Reinhard Ruge (text), Ev.-luth. Ludgerigemeinde Norden (ed.): The Ludgeri church to the north. Norden 2015, p. 18.
  6. ↑ Menno Smid : East Frisian Church History . Self-published, Pewsum 1974, p. 215 ff . (East Frisia under the protection of the dike; 6).
  7. ^ Reinhard Ruge (text), Ev.-luth. Ludgerigemeinde Norden (ed.): The Ludgeri church to the north. Norden 2015, p. 17f.
  8. ↑ a b Diederichs-Gottschalk: The Protestant written altars. 2005, p. 42.