St. Nicolai Church (Altenbruch)

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The three towers of the St. Nicolai Church

The St. Nicolai Church in the Altenbruch district of Cuxhaven belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church and is one of the peasant cathedrals in the Hadeln region . It stands on a flat elevation, a Wurth , so that it mostly stayed dry when flooded and offered a refuge for the people living around it. This elevation was enclosed by a ditch. Today's meadow around the church was the cemetery in earlier times. The recovered tombstones are preserved from weathering in the church and exhibited.

history

The first documentary mention comes from 1280, when a pastor for Altenbruch is mentioned. But one can assume that this church building is older. The oldest known church seal from 1333 shows two seated bishops. The assumption is that St. Nicholas and St. Willehad are to be represented. One is the namesake of the church and the patron saint of seafarers, the other the missionary of the Sachsenlande . With the introduction of the Reformation in 1526, St. Nicolai was the official church of the superintendent and main church in the country of Hadeln.

In the towers of the church was the archive of the land of Hadeln with the state seal that shows the holy bishop Nicholas , the patron saint of the land of Hadeln. He was already the coat of arms of the state of Hadeln, as it is today for the district of Cuxhaven .

Interestingly, the good cooperation between the Saxons and Frisians can be seen here. The two ethnic groups took turns in the leadership of the parish.

From the outside, a sandstone statue from 1727 can be seen on the east gable. It represents Saint Nicholas.

Building history

South view of St. Nicolai with the mighty choir (1727/28)

The church is built as a single nave stone church with barrel vaults and a double tower on a flat elevation. The twin tower was also a striking symbol for seafaring. This can be recognized by the fact that it is clearly highlighted in all old maps and sea maps. The massive tower separates above the roof ridge of the main building into two single towers, which are popularly known as Anna and Beate, which are covered with copper and are 45 meters high. The double tower and the Romanesque main building are dated from the end of the 12th to the beginning of the 13th century. This has not yet been proven in a document. In 1493/94 the building was extended to the east by a choir . In 1727/28 this was canceled because it was dilapidated. A new baroque choir was built on the old foundations . The size of the choir is striking; it reflects the wealth of the farmers in this region. The original field stone masonry with careful horizontal layers of lime mortar has been preserved in the towers and the main house. Repair work was necessary towards the end of the 15th century. These can also be recognized by the ogival windows. The Gothic oak doors on the north and south sides are still preserved . Only the hour bell hangs in the south tower and can be seen from the outside in a tower bay window. The rest of the bells in this church are housed in a wooden bell tower south of the twin tower. This wooden tower was built in 1647.

Interior

View into the church with the two galleries
The access to the rows of banks is marked with the family coat of arms.

The interior of the church is kept very bright and light.

The pews for the faithful and the two galleries are striking in this church. The rows of pews are closed with doors, many of which have peasant family coats of arms. Here you can see that the two tribes - the Frisians and the Saxons - got along well. Membership of the ethnic group can be seen on the coat of arms. The families, however, sat in a colorful row and typical Saxon and Frisian names alternate in the rows. According to tradition, the benches in the nave are the seats of the women and date from the beginning of the 18th century. The men's seats were on the two galleries. A confessional chamber made of wood connects to the south of the two galleries in the direction of the altar. In the cornice of this confessional chamber, “Faith” and “Hope” are depicted as seated female figures on the long side and “Fame” and “Victory” on the short side. At the top is the picture of Jesus with the globe, in the base of which it says: Kompt her zv mit alle. On. 1706 . In the country of Hadeln, individual confession was also common in the Protestant faith until 1840.

The interior is decorated with ten paintings depicting:

  • Nativity (1639)
  • Depiction of the Magi
  • gethsemane
  • From the good Samaritan
  • Christ in the wine press
  • Carrying the Cross (1694)
  • The Last Judgment (1718)
  • Three pastor portraits in the choir room (1638, 1639, 1677)

altar

The winged altar

The winged altar dates from the 15th century; the origin can be ascribed to the Bremen master Johann Voss. The writer Hermann Allmers found the following information in the chronicle of the state of Hadeln : »In the same years (1504) the Storthinge (= execution, bloodshed) of our Lord Jesus Christ was condemned to Altenbruch with master Johann Voss in Bremen by the Jurats [... ] «. It is a representation of many figures on the subject of the crucifixion of Jesus.

  • Above left: Jesus in front of Pilate, who washes his hands in innocence.
  • Above right: Jesus in limbo with Adam and Eve and the bitten apple
  • Bottom left: Jesus carrying the cross
  • Below right: Jesus' removal from the cross
  • The central image is the crucifixion of Jesus.

This altar has been extensively changed several times over the years. The original carved substructure from the end of the 16th century can be seen on the north side. It consists of three arched niches with the following representations (from left to right):

  • The apostle Peter (with key)
  • Christ the Good Shepherd
  • John the Evangelist (with chalice)

During the renovation in 1897, the Renaissance crown was replaced by the neo-Gothic style and the crucifixion scene was backed with a gold background.

pulpit

The pulpit seen from the altar

At the beginning of the 18th century the pulpit was inserted into the choir screen as a portal structure. It can be reached from the chancel by a spiral staircase. Ten wooden reliefs can be seen on the pulpit.

The names of the respective donors are written on wooden plaques below the relief.

Around 1610 the sound cover of the pulpit was donated. His jewelry is a crucifixion group and two coats of arms.

Church prison

The church prison

To the left of the altar in the choir there is a prison cell, the church prison, also a special feature of this church.

Baptismal font

The baptismal font with border and cover
The baptismal font

The bronze baptismal font was cast in the early 14th century. It is the oldest piece of furniture in the church. It is said to have been made by Master Ulricus, a traveling bell founder . The inscription on the edge in mirror writing reads + Qvi. baptizatvr. hoc. fonte. lavatvr ( He who is baptized in this well is purified ). The construction suggests that this baptismal font was heatable; At that time, the person to be baptized was still completely submerged in the baptismal font.

The wooden top from 1672, with a dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit, on top, was made by Jürgen Heydtmann , who came from Holstein and lived in Otterndorf . The attachment has a hexagonal shape, is movably attached and also serves to cover the baptismal font.

The entire baptismal area is separated by a wooden lattice bearing the inscription: MARCI XVI. WHO IS BELIEVED AND BAPTIZED - YOU WILL BE BLESSED - BUT WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE WILL BE VAPORIZED.

Herlitz epitaph

The Herlitz epitaph dates from 1697. It depicts Christ in the wine press. The template for this is the title page of the Luther Bible from 1643. For description of the picture. In addition to the hill with the wine press, the figures of the old times are shown on the left and the figures of the new era on the right. The frame of this epitaph stands out due to its excellent carving and its wealth of shapes. Linden wood was used as the material.

organ

The organ

The organ dates from 1497/98 and has been expanded several times. The first organ goes back to Johannes Coci from Bremen , had six registers and was located near the altar on the north side. The instrument was probably first expanded by the organ builder Matthias Mahn ( Buxtehude ), who added a Rückpositiv in 1561/1577 . Hans Christoph Fritzsche expanded the upper work from 1647–1649 and Matthias Dropa expanded the keyboards from 1697–1700 . Johann Hinrich Klapmeyer , who, like Dropa, was a pupil of Arp Schnitger , gave it its current form from 1727–1730 as part of the renovation of the church. He created an additional breastwork and new pedal towers and moved the organ to the new west gallery opposite the altar. The organ remained in this condition for almost two centuries without any major changes. The organ movement received significant impulses through the restoration in 1925 with the advice of Hans Henny Jahnn . From today's perspective, the restoration by Paul Ott (1956–1958) is viewed as unsuccessful. Some of the damage caused by this could be reversed by Rudolf von Beckerath organ building (1965–1967). The last restoration was carried out from 2003 to 2004 by the Ahrend company from Leer , which largely restored the condition from 1730 and is recognized as a great achievement. Since the organ retained its old pipe inventory despite the many extensions, this Klapmeyer organ is one of the oldest organs north of the Alps and one of the most important instruments in Europe. The instrument was released in 2017 in a virtual version for the organ software Hauptwerk .

The organ has 2,100 sounding pipes, three manuals, pedal and 35 registers , which are almost completely original. The disposition has been since 2004:

I Rückpositiv CDEFGA – c 3
1. Principahl 8th' V
2. Dumped 8th' F / C
3. Quintadöhn 8th' F.
4th Octav 4 ′ V / D
5. Dumped 4 ′ F.
6th Nasat 3 ′ V
7th Great Octave 2 ′ D.
8th. Recorder 2 ′ V
9. Sexquialtera II F.
10. Scharff IV F.
11. Dulcian 16 ′ F.
12. Kromphorn 8th' F / D
II Oberwerk CDEFGA – c 3
13. Quintadohn 16 ′ F / C
14th Principahl 8th' F.
15th Dumped 8th' F.
16. Octav 4 ′ F.
17th Waldflöt 2 ′ F.
18th Mixture V F.
19th Simbel III F.
20th Trommeth 8th' K
21st Vox humana 8th' K
III breastwork CDEFGA – c 3
22nd Stuck 8th' K
23. Dumped 4 ′ K
24. Great Octave 2 ′ K
25th Quint 1 1 ⁄ 2  ′
26th Scharff III K
27. Knop shelf 8th' K
CDE – d pedal 1
28. Pedestal 16 ′ V / C
29 Principal number 8th' K
30th Dumped 8th' D.
31. Octav 4 ′ D.
32. Mixture IV D.
33. Trumpet 16 ′ F / D
34. Trommeth 8th' F / D
35. Corneth 2 ′ A.
  • Remarks:
C = partly made of pipe material from Coci (1497–1498)
V = before 1647
F = Hans Christoph Fritzsche (1647–1649)
D = Matthias Dropa (1697–1700)
K = Johann Hinrich Klapmeyer (1727–1730)
A = Jürgen Ahrend (2003-2004)
  • Coupling : III / II
  • Playing aids, secondary register: Tremulants : (Rückpositiv and for the whole organ), 2 cymbal stars , 4 check valves (for all works)
  • 4 bellows (originally 8)
  • Action :
    • Tone action: mechanical
    • Stop action: mechanical
  • Wind supply:
    • 77 mm water column wind pressure
  • Mood :
Remarks
  1. ↑ From Arp Schnitger?
  2. ↑ Cup old.

Bells

The three-part bell ringing hangs in the wooden bell tower. The large bell (tone c ') was cast in 1736, the middle bell (tone d') was cast in Bremen-Hemelingen in 1963 and the small bell (tone f ') was made in 1736.

  • St. Nicolai Church exterior view

  • One of the old entrances and the stone masonry

  • The east facade with the figure of St. Nicholas

  • The rectory

  • The gallery opposite the entrance door

  • The beautiful window, the church prison and the oldest surviving benches

  • An example of the labeled benches

  • Renaissance altar base

literature

  • Alfred Weckwerth: Evangelical Lutheran St. Nicolai Church Cuxhaven-Altenbruch . In: Quick Art Guide . 3. Edition. tape 1495 . Schnell & Steiner, Munich 2004, ISBN 978-3-7954-5202-5 .
  • Ernst Andreas Friedrich : Der Bauerndom zu Altenbruch , pp. 118-120, in: If stones could talk , Volume III, Landbuch-Verlag, Hanover 1995, ISBN 3-7842-0515-1 .

Web links

Commons : St. Nicolai in Altenbruch  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Map of part of the North Sea, the Elbe River, the mouth of the Weser (1798)
  2. ↑ Altenbruch Organ Foundation , accessed on January 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Harald Vogel, Günter Lade, Nicola Borger-Keweloh: Organs in Lower Saxony . Hauschild, Bremen 1997, ISBN 3-931785-50-5 , p. 218-221, 328 .

Coordinates: 53 ° 49 ′ 26.7 "  N , 8 ° 46 ′ 21.1"  E