St. Stephen's Church (Magdeburg)

St. Stephen's Church

The Sankt-Stephani-Kirche is a Protestant church in the Magdeburg district (Groß-) Ottersleben ( Kirchstrasse No. 1). It is dedicated to Saint Stephen .

history

founding

The date of the founding of the church, as well as the origin of the entire village of Ottersleben, is unknown, but can probably be set in the late 12th or the turn of the 13th century. For the year 1205 the existence of a parish in the village is documented due to criminal proceedings against the local pastor.

From 1300

On March 9, 1300, the church became the property of the Premonstratensian monastery of Divine Mercy in Calbe (Saale) as part of an exchange contract . The pastoral position was now occupied by canons of the monastery.

In the course of a dispute between the citizens of Magdeburg and the archbishop at the beginning of the 14th century, damage occurred in Ottersleben. Sankt Stephani was also affected. Extensive modifications were made to the necessary repairs. The original Romanesque style of the building was largely lost. Romanesque style elements can still be found today on the south wall and the west building. The steeple was raised twice. The Romanesque sound openings in the west building were closed and new Gothic sound openings were built.

reformation

In the course of the Reformation, Saint Stephen became Protestant. In 1541 the parish, not the responsible cathedral chapter, appointed Christoph Lindemann as deacon . The same happened in 1553 for the new pastor Martin Nehter . In 1597, an epitaph for Zacharias Nickel was embedded in the south wall of the church.

Thirty Years' War

In the Thirty Years War , the Magdeburg region and Ottersleben were badly destroyed. The village was practically wiped out, and the church was also destroyed except for the masonry. The pastor's position remained vacant for over 8 years.

reconstruction

On January 31, 1641, the preacher at Magdeburg Cathedral , Reinhard Bake, issued the testimony for the new Ottersleber pastor Heinrich Buxberg . The reconstruction of the church was, in spite of a construction decision of the visitors in 1650, but only in 1656 so advanced that it was in a usable condition for church services. In 1663 the sermon chair was built and a tower clock was probably purchased. In 1689 two new bells were purchased and the organ builder Arp Schnitger was commissioned to build an organ, which was installed in 1693. In 1697 the altar of the important Magdeburg parish church St.-Ulrich-und-Levin was purchased for 100 thalers. However, the Helmstedt sculptor Michael Helwig created a new altar as early as 1704 . The Halberstadt painter Conrad Matthias Haber painted the altar with the motifs Lamentation and Last Supper . On the left and right of the altar there are saints of Stephen and Mauritius to this day.

There were also structural changes. The main and the side aisles were given a common roof. Two-storey galleries were built into the side aisles, the balustrades of which were decorated with ornamental Bible verses in 1784 .

A new organ was installed on June 7, 1807 by the master organ builder Hamann from Schönebeck .

In 1854 the large window behind the altar was bricked up.

From 1871

Further extensive alterations were made from 1871 onwards. A new main portal was added to the previously closed western front of the tower. The former entrances to the nave were walled up. To the north and south of the tower, vestibules were built in the neo-Romanesque style. The pulpit was moved to its current location. The crucifix was also given a new place and was now located on the central pillar of the southern arcades instead of the organ gallery. Ultimately, new stalls were purchased.

In 1876 Albert Fischer , who became known for his work as a hymnologist , began his service as pastor of St. Stephen's.

In 1918, flags of honor from the nationalist steel helmets were placed in the choir room .

GDR

Between 1979 and 1982 a winter church was installed under the gallery of the south aisle . The painting Martyrdom of Stephen by Dietrich Fröhner was also installed here.

Despite being included in Magdeburg's list of monuments in 1981, the structural condition of the building deteriorated drastically. In 1986 the north gallery was closed due to the risk of collapse. With a resolution of the district church council of January 18, 1988, Sankt Stephani was classified as a no longer used building.

Since 1990

In 1990 renovation work began. First, dry rot that had appeared was removed , then (1991) the roof was re-covered. Ceiling beams and coffered ceiling were renewed. In 1994 new lightning protection was installed on the tower. The repair was completed in 1995.

In 1999 the altar was restored.

literature

• Hans-Joachim Krenzke: Churches and monasteries in Magdeburg . City Planning Office Magdeburg; 2000

Coordinates: 52 ° 5 ′ 13.2 "  N , 11 ° 34 ′ 45.5"  E