Wahlsdorf Chapel
The Wahlsdorf Chapel is a former New Apostolic church building in the Wittenberg district in Saxony-Anhalt . From 1910 to 2005 it served the New Apostolic congregation in Wahlsdorf (Anhalt) as a place of worship. Since then the building has been empty and is offered for sale. The building is considered a monument according to Section 2, Paragraph 2, Item 1 of the Monument Protection Act of the State of Saxony-Anhalt.
history
Since around 1868, the first apostolic meetings were held in private apartments in the neighboring town of Coswig (Anhalt) under the direction of Franz Hübner . A small, lively community already existed in the 1870s. A letter from 1876 shows that the small group also had to fight hostility in the village. When Franz Hübner had his residential and commercial building rebuilt in 1879, he came into closer contact with the bricklayer and Protestant parish member Gustav Kölling because he wanted to know more about the apostolic community that existed in Coswig at the time . Kölling then made his apartment available for meetings that were previously usually held in the Huebner house. Interested people from Wahlsdorf also came to these meetings.
When a reindeer Knape from Wahlsdorf (an uncle of the later Bishop Carl Knape) fell seriously ill in 1885, he said on his sickbed that he would build a chapel for the Apostolic Community if Franz Huebner could cure him. Knape recovered and donated the first community-owned chapel in Central Germany in Coswig (Anhalt) - the "Knapekapelle".
In that year the Lohmann family from Wahlsdorf also came to the Coswig Apostolic Congregation. This increased the urge for own church services in Wahlsdorf. They initially took place in private apartments. A letter from the year 1890 shows that Franz Huebner had big problems in supplying the many new, small parishes because there were too few offices.
In 1895 other families were sealed in Wahlsdorf , including the family of Bishop Knape and his sister's family, as well as the Franz Kölling family. In 1900 there were 86 inhabitants, including 13 apostolic.
A further increase in members made it necessary to build an own chapel. The money for this was donated by the community elder Franz Kölling. The chapel was consecrated on September 25, 1910. The inauguration was carried out by Apostle Otto Steinweg.
"From the New Apostolic Review, October 30, 1910:
In Wahlsdorf near Coswig, on September 25th, the small but extremely attractive chapel, newly built by the dear parishioner F. Kölling at his own expense, was put into use and inaugurated, for which many dear siblings from rural towns, some of which were far away, had gathered.
The divine service led by the Apostle Steinweg was richly blessed by the bread of life taken from his transmitter Jesus. Would the members of the congregation always want to bring their thanks to the Lord in deeds by attending the glorious services, while on the other hand the risen One would like to fill you with life and strength for the blessing of his name and for the joy of the children of God. "
The chapel was closed in 2005 and the parishioners were incorporated into Coswig after the large church there had been extensively renovated. At that time the village of Wahlsdorf had 65 inhabitants and the New Apostolic congregation of Wahlsdorf had 30 members.
Architectural style
The Wahlsdorf Chapel is, along with the New Apostolic Church in Coswig and the New Apostolic Church in Nudersdorf, one of only three remaining authentic buildings from the Art Nouveau period in the area of the Dessau elders. At the same time, the division of the church space in these three buildings is still obviously based on Catholic-Apostolic models. Bishop Franz Huebner , who lives in Coswig, is likely to have exerted considerable influence here. From the turn of the century, the Bernburg New Apostolic Church still stands in the bishop's former catchment area, it is considered the oldest church built for the Apostolic Community that is still in use today.
The Wahlsdorf church has an attached round apse with originally three windows, which, as in Coswig (and many Catholic-Apostolic churches) symbolize the Trinity . The liturgical southernmost of the windows was apparently bricked up later when a small room was added as a sacristy . The round arch is decorated with ornaments , but a banner is currently not visible.
The entrance portal is designed in a neo-Romanesque style, the gables have pilasters and a round arch frieze . Furthermore, the main windows have two rows of colored lead glazing and Gothic tracery . The building has been a listed building since 2008.
The church building is centrally located in Wahlsdorf, directly on Dorfstrasse on the village square. The church was the only actively operated church in the village until it was closed.
Current situation
The former New Apostolic Church Wahlsdorf has been a listed building for a few years. The overall condition is very poor due to the lack of heating, damage to the chimney and damp walls. The community leader from Coswig (Anhalt), Gerald Müller, advertised in early 2012 in the newspaper and on regional television for a buyer. The reports showed the poor condition of the historic building.
The real estate department of the New Apostolic Church in Central Germany is currently offering the church and the property for one symbolic euro. Furthermore, the buyer would have to bear all applicable fees. The church hopes to find a buyer quickly, but it remains to be seen whether a possible new owner is even interested in preserving the historic building.
Rescue by a private association
A rescue of the building planned in 2012 by a private development association failed.
See also
Web links
- Exposé of the church at nak-immobilien.de
- House of God for one euro at mz-web.de
- Wahlsdorfer Kapelle in APWiki of the Network Apostolic History eV
Coordinates: 51 ° 56 ′ 39 ″ N , 12 ° 30 ′ 44 ″ E