Gerleve Abbey

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Gerleve Monastery, May 2016
Gerleve Abbey (aerial photo, 2014)

The Benedictine Abbey of Gerleve is located between Coesfeld and Billerbeck in the area of ​​the latter city in Westphalia in a southern side valley of the Coesfelder Berg at 125 m above sea ​​level .

history

A convent office of the monks in the Gerlever Abbey Church

From the foundation to 1945

The monastery was founded in 1899 as a peasant donation from the Wermelt farm by monks of the Beuron Archabbey and elevated to the status of an abbey in 1904 . Patron is St. Joseph . From 1906, under Abbot Raphael Molitor , the monastery experienced a steady upswing; In 1936 it had 100 monks.

In 1941 the community was expelled from the abbey by the National Socialists as part of the “ monastery tower ” when they were banned from living in the provinces of Rhineland and Westphalia . Fathers Augustin Hessing (1897–1975) and Gregor Schwake (1892–1967) were sent to the Dachau concentration camp . The monastery buildings were used partly as a home for the NS-Volkswohlfahrt "mother and child", partly as a "NS training yard for the Hitler Youth of the Gaues Westfalen-Nord". Pregnant women from the Ruhr area and the Münsterland were supposed to give birth to their children in the empty monastery. More than 800 children were born in Gerleve. Shortly before the end of the Second World War , an air force hospital moved into the building on February 11, 1945. After the liberation on March 30, 1945, this hospital served the wounded of all nations, initially under US, then Soviet and finally Polish management. Many of the wounded died. 200 dead were buried in the monastery cemetery.

Since the Second World War

It was not until 1946 that the monks were able to return to Gerleve. In 1951 the community founded another monastery, the Nütschau monastery near Bad Oldesloe in Schleswig-Holstein. Several monks are scientifically active, others work in pastoral care , the guest houses, the bookstore, the library or the garden.

The church musician and poet Gregor Schwake was one of the most famous monks of Gerleve . In September 2019 the convention had 38 members. Five times a day the monks perform their sung prayer of the hours in the convent church, to which visitors are welcome. As a sign of Benedictine hospitality, the abbey has two large guest houses, the Ludgerirast retreat house with 47 rooms for adults and the St. Benedikt House for young people with 80 places. In the monastery itself, a guest wing with the new monastery gate with eleven guest rooms for male visitors was added to the east in 1955 .

The architects Wilhelm Rincklake , Dominikus Böhm , Josef Paul Kleihues and Ulrich Hahn contributed to the building ensemble . The monastery library has around 230,000 volumes. In 2008 the Gerleve Abbey Foundation was set up to support the Abbey.

Abbots and Priors

Abbey church

Abbey church from the north-west
View into the main nave of the abbey church

The original monastery buildings of the actual monastery complex are attached to the south of the mighty abbey church, whose 42 m high towers shape the overall appearance of the complex, which is visible from afar.

Building history and architecture

The church is a three-aisled basilica in the neo-Romanesque style . Like the entire monastery complex, it was designed by the architect Wilhelm Rincklake , a Benedictine from the Maria Laach Abbey , and started in 1901. In 1904 the first liturgy could be celebrated here, although the eastern end of the choir was only provisional with an apse , while another crossing arm was planned here .

In 1937 and 1938, the west facade, which was badly damaged by the weather, was restored and redesigned according to plans by the Cologne architect Dominikus Böhm . The towers, the tips of which were designed as rhombic roofs , were given flat inclined pyramid roofs .

Furnishing

1949–1950 the interior was redesigned in line with the liturgical movement. A picture of Joseph above the high altar was replaced by a Christ mosaic by the painter Ludwig Baur . In 1950 the renovation is completed with the consecration of the church . Another redesign was made in accordance with the requirements of the Second Vatican Council in 1970/71. In 2003 and 2004 the interior of the church was redesigned again.

The interior of the church is very sparsely furnished so that the gaze is automatically directed to the altar in the center of the crossing. The Elbe sandstone altar was designed by the artist Ulrich Hahn. The altar block is structured by horizontal and vertical cuts, so that the impression is created that it is standing on twelve feet (based on the twelve apostles). The ambo, which stands on four feet (based on the four Gospels), has a similar design. To the north and south of the altar are the monks' choir stalls, below the two large rose windows on the transept sides.

In 2005, a colored late Romanesque crucifixion group from northern Spain was hung in the crossing . The Crucifixion Group was created in the early 13th century. The figures of Christ, Mary and John are life-size.

Since 2016 there has been a wooden sculpture of St.Saint in the south aisle, created for this place by the Bolzano artist Bruno Walpoth . Joseph.

In the north tower there is a Sacred Heart Chapel in which a gilded carved wooden altar is set up. This Sacred Heart Altar from 1912 was created by the sculptor Heinrich Seling. The sacred oils are kept in a small niche in the south wall of this chapel .

In the south tower there is a Lady Chapel, in which there is a late medieval statue of the Virgin Mary from southern Germany. The final resting place of the sister of Clemens August Cardinal von Galen, Countess Paula Ursula von Galen (1876–1923), who was closely associated with the monastery, is in the Marienkapelle.

organ

The organ of the abbey church on the small gallery above the left choir stalls was built in 1912 by the organ construction company Späth (Ennetach-Mengen). The instrument initially had 25 registers . It was planned based on organs by Andreas Silbermann and Aristide Cavaillé-Coll , and voiced by an employee of the organ building company Cavaillé-Coll . In 1971 the organ was overhauled by the Stockmann Brothers (Werl) organ building company and the disposition was expanded. The instrument is characterized by a French-romantic, soft sound. Today it has 43 stops on three manual works and a pedal . The play and Registertrakturen to the gaming table , which is at ground level set up in the chorus Monk, opposite the organ, are electric. In addition to the recit, the main work is also designed to be swellable.

Gerleve Abbey: organ
I Hauptwerk C – g 3
1. Bourdon 16 ′
2. Principal 08th'
3. Flûte harmonique 0 08th'
4th Bourdon 08th'
5. Salicional 08th'
6th Prestant 04 ′
7th Gemshorn 04 ′
8th. Fifth 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
9. Octave 02 ′
10. Plein Jeu V-VI 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
11. Cornett V 08th'
12. Trumpet 08th'
tremolo
II Récit C – g 3
13. Flûte traversière 08th'
14th Viol 08th'
15th Unda maris 08th'
16. Flûte octaviante 04 ′
17th Principal 04 ′
18th Nazard 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
19th Octavine 02 ′
20th third 01 3 ⁄ 5  ′
21st Mixture IV 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
22nd Basson 16 ′
23. Trompette harmonique 0 08th'
24. Clairon 04 ′
tremolo
III Positive C-g 3
25th Cor de nuit 0 08th'
26th Quintad 08th'
27. Reed flute 04 ′
28. Principal 04 ′
29 Forest flute 02 ′
30th Larigot 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
31. Cymbal III 01'
32. Dulcian 16 ′
33. shelf 08th'
tremolo
Pedal C – f 1
34. Principal bass 16 ′
35. Sub bass 16 ′
36. Bourdonbass (= No. 1) 0 16 ′
37. Quintbass 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′
38. Octave 08th'
39. Dumped 08th'
40. Principal 04 ′
41. Rauschwerk IV 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
42. Bombard 16 ′
43. Trumpet 08th'

Bells

A seven-part bronze bell hangs in the two mighty west towers. Six of the bells were cast in 1946 and 1993 by the bell foundry Petit and Edelbrock (Gescher). The smallest bell was cast in 1524 by Geert van Wou, son of the well-known Dutch bell founder Gerhard van Wou .

West towers of the monastery church
No. Surname Casting year Foundry, casting location ∅ (mm) Mass (kg) Chime inscription
1 Regina Pacis 1946 Petit & Gebr. Edelbrock ,
Gescher 		1,687 3,100 0h 0 -2 REGINA PACIS - EXSULTANS DEO - IN DEO SALUTARI - BEATUS QUI AUDIT ME.
2 Sanctus Joseph 1,495 3,917 0cis 0 -5 SANCTUS JOSEPH CREATORIS NUTRITIUS - GENETRICIS DEI SPONSUS - TERROR DAEMONUM
3 Salvator mundi 1993 1,353 1,630 0dis 1 -8 SALVATOR MUNDI SALVA NOS QUI PER CRUCEM ET RESURRECTIONEM TUAM REDEMISTI NOS.
4th Sanctus Benedictus 1946 1,237 797 0e 1 -5 NOS BENEDICTE VALIDO PRECUM DEFENDE BRACHIO
5 Sancti Angeli 1,085 797 0f sharp 1 -5 SANCTORUM ANGELORUM - OMNIS SPIRITUS LAUDET DOMINUM.
6th Sancti Petrus et Paulus 986 593 0g sharp 1 -5 SANCTORUM PETRI ET PAULI APP. [= APOSTOLORUM] - IN FINEM TERRAE SONUS EORUM.
7th Sanctus Johannes 1524 Geert van Wou 826 330 0h 1 -5 IHESUS - MARIA - JOHANNES - GHERARDUS DE WOU ME FECIT ANNO DOMINI MCCCCCXXIIII.

Monastery library

The library is primarily a monastery library for use by the convent living here. In addition, there is the possibility of using the books such as the reading room for academic workers after prior notification and, on an exceptional basis, loaning them out. A newly built staircase makes it easier for visitors to reach the library without having to lead them through the exam.

Events

The Ludgerirast guest house of Gerleve Abbey publishes an extensive program of courses for those interested every year (hiking, literature, film, faith, retreats, etc.). Under the name "Forum Gerleve", the abbey organizes four public concerts and four lectures every year, to which admission is free.

Outdoor facilities (so-called public area)

The public area of ​​the monastery is spacious and park-like. In the freely accessible outdoor facilities there are u. a. a monastery restaurant with a terrace, the Ludgerirast guest house , the Haus St. Benedikt youth education center , a bookstore with a theological focus, a children's playground and a parking lot for approx. 150 vehicles. The location is often a stopover for hikers, cycle tourists and motorcyclists in the summer months.

literature

  • Marcel Albert: 100 years of the Gerleve Benedictine Abbey. Aschendorff-Verlag, Münster 2004, ISBN 3-402-05486-8 .
  • Marcel Albert: Gerleve Abbey. (= Westfälische Kunststätten. Issue 100). ISSN  0930-3952 3rd revised edition, Westfälischer Heimatbund, Münster 2010.
  • Letters from Gerleve Abbey , quarterly, has been published since 1970.
  • Amandus Eilermann: Gerleve Abbey Church, Munich / Zurich 1979.
  • Pius Engelbert (Ed.): Saeculum. Time and world. 100 years of Gerleve Abbey. Dialogverlag, Münster 2004, ISBN 3-933144-93-0 .

Web links

Commons : Gerleve Abbey  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gerleve Abbey. In: abtei-gerleve.de. Benedictine Abbey Gerleve e. V., accessed on October 9, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Church services. In: abtei-gerleve.de. Benedictine Abbey Gerleve e. V., accessed on October 9, 2019 .
  3. ^ Library. In: abtei-gerleve.de. Benedictine Abbey Gerleve e. V., accessed on March 28, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Gerleve Abbey: Abbot , accessed on August 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Personal details . In: kirche-und-leben.de. Church and Life, accessed August 15, 2020 .
  6. ↑ Equipment. In: abtei-gerleve.de. Benedictine Abbey Gerleve e. V., accessed on October 9, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Organ. In: abtei-gerleve.de. Benedictine Abbey Gerleve e. V., accessed on October 9, 2019 .
  8. ↑ bells. In: abtei-gerleve.de. Benedictine Abbey Gerleve e. V., accessed on October 9, 2019 .

Coordinates: 51 ° 56 ′ 46 ″  N , 7 ° 14 ′ 14 ″  E