St. Blasii (Nordhausen)

St. Blasii

St. Blasii, view from the southwest
Basic data
Denomination	evangelical
place	Nordhausen , Germany
Building history
start of building	1220
Coordinates 51 ° 30 '15.4 "  N , 10 ° 47' 35.6"  E Coordinates: 51 ° 30 '15.4 "  N , 10 ° 47' 35.6"  E

Interior panorama

The parish church of St. Blasii is a Protestant church in the district town of Nordhausen in Thuringia . Along with the cathedral and the abandoned St. Nikolai market church, it is one of the three church buildings in the historic city center of Nordhausen.

history

A previous building built around 1220 is mentioned in a document from Heinrich (VII.) In 1234 . Heinrich had received the order from his father Friedrich II to create a new district with a church to the north of the city of Nordhausen, the Hagen . In the substructure of the church towers there should still be remnants of this previous building. The church was subordinated to the cathedral monastery. In 1487–1490 the nave was replaced by a new building which was attached to the late Romanesque-early Gothic west towers of the previous building. The year 1489 can be found on a keystone of the choir vault.

After the Reformation , Johann Spangenberg took over the position of the first Protestant preacher in 1524 on the recommendation of Martin Luther. This earned himself beyond the community through school lessons and the publication of edifying writings .

The church survived the town fire of 1612 unscathed. On April 24, 1634, a lightning strike hit the northern church tower, so that the spire burned down. In 1687 a buttress was added to the west side of the church to secure the church towers. Stones from the Walkenried church ruins were used. The church survived the next big fire on August 21, 1712, while the rectory burned down completely.

During the air raid on Nordhausen on April 4, 1945 , the church suffered considerable damage to the roofs and the masonry, especially the eastern parts. The Cranach paintings had been moved to a brewery cellar and burned there. By 1949 the roofs were restored, the masonry repaired and the interior renewed.

A restoration of the church that was carried out because of the risk of collapse of the towers and roof was completed in 2004. A renovation of the interior followed in 2014 and 2015.

Structural features

Rectory and the leaning west towers

• The only two-bay nave with 27.2 meters corresponds to a cross-section of 26.2 meters, so that one can speak of a cruciform church.
• The south gable protrudes like a risalit and a cross arm is inserted on the north side.
• The octagonal towers shape the church . Since 1634 these have been of different heights because a tower hood burned down due to lightning and the pointed helmet was not put on again during reconstruction. The subsoil does not consist of solid rock like the cathedral, but of plaster karst . The south tower is inclined noticeably to the north.
• Featuring ribbed vault spanning the nave church and the polygonal choir .

Furnishing

Choir with stained glass windows and crucifix

Epitaph Michael Meyenburg in Nordhausen

Epitaph for Cyriakus Ernst

• The three windows of the choir were made in 1949 by the glass painting firm Ferdinand Müller from Quedlinburg according to the designs of Professor Martin Domke . They served as a replacement for the windows destroyed in 1945.
  • The Christmas window on the left shows the angel of the Annunciation with Mary above, below it ox, donkey and sheep, Mary with baby Jesus and Joseph. In the middle the proclamation of the Christmas message. Among them shepherds and kings kneeling in front of the child. The flight to Egypt is shown below.
  • The Passion Window on the right shows the Passion of Christ from bottom to top. Below Jesus with his disciples at the Last Supper, above the sleeping disciples in the garden of Gethsemane. In the middle the capture of Jesus with the Judas kiss. About it: Jesus is exposed to the ridicule of the people. Above: Jesus collapses under the weight of the cross, Mary mourns, the soldiers swing the scourge.
  • The resurrection window in the middle shows how the sun and moon darken at the death of Christ. Above it stand bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins. In the center the risen Christ with the Emmaus disciples. Above it, the Ascension of Christ, the Trinity and the dove hovering over it.
• The renaissance pulpit dates from 1592. It is a donation from the mayor of Nordhausen , Cyriakus Ernst, from 1592. The figure that bears the pulpit probably represents Abraham , but it could also be a representation of Moses or an unnamed warrior . At times, the figure included two tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. They were attached in 1945, but later removed. On the outside of the parapet there are biblical reliefs (from left to right: Christ's resurrection, crucifixion, baptism, Adam and Eve in Paradise, Ascension and Christmas story). The individual scenes are separated by pilasters on which the four evangelists as well as Moses, Isaiah and Jeremiah are attached.
• The baptismal font is a donation from Ottilie Ernst from 1591. It was made by Lorentz Fronhausen, carver and carpenter in Nordhausen.
• The altar cross is made of a tin alloy. It's about 100 years old. Together with the altar cross of the Church of St. Nikolai , which had been kept in the sacristy since Easter 2015, it was stolen from the church before April 16, 2016; its whereabouts are currently unknown.
• An epitaph by Lucas Cranach the Younger in honor of the mayor of Nordhausen Michael Meyenburg from 1558 was not found again after the air raids on Nordhausen. It was probably burned. A copy made in 1937 hangs on the north side of the choir room. The picture shows the raising of Lazarus. In the foreground members of the Meyenburg family and the group of reformers are shown.
• Another epitaph for Michael Meyenburg's first wife with the title Ecce homo by Lucas Cranach the Elder has also been missing since 1945.
• A third epitaph in honor of the legal councilor and chancellor of the Hohnstein Counts Cyriax (also Cyriacus ) Ernst is on the west wall of the south pore next to the organ. It dates from 1585. He could be the father of the chancellor.
• The church had a baroque high altar, which was destroyed in the air raids on Nordhausen. In its place there is now a simple altar table. Before the Reformation, there were eight vicarages.
• The little prayer rooms on either side of the choir were removed in 1945.
• Originally there are said to have been 101 tombstones in the church. There are still five of them, which are placed on the wall under the north gallery. They are dedicated to:

1. Johann Henrich child father (April 4, 1675– October 2, 1726; married to Sophia Elisabeth née Happe, whose children are named: Elisabeth, Johann Samuel, Johann Philipp, Margarete Gertrude, Johann Christoph, Johanna Elisabeth and Catharina Sophie)
2. Caspar Arens (March 30, 1632– February 19, 1704), Mayor of Nordhausen (1687–1704)
3. Johannes Titius (March 21, 1615– October 28, 1678, married to Euphrosine Wilde and Catharina Maria Offney), Countess Stolberg Chancellor in Nordhausen, licentiate (1649, 1651) and councilor (1656, 1658, 1661)
4. Johann Christoph Ibe (December 15, 1676– November 16, 1729), Mayor of Nordhausen (1705–1709)
5. Johannes Jacob Kiesewetter (deacon, January 26, 1681– May 2, 1713, married to Johanna Christine, born Rohrmann)

organ

Until 1618 the church had a three-manual organ . The first manual contained the principal and mixture, and the second manual duded, octave, fifth, super octave and cymbal. The third manual served as a return positive . In 1618 the organ was demolished. In 1627 a new organ was completed. This was mainly thanks to a Nicol. Helbigs from Ilefeld.

On December 17, 1697, the organ bellows were repaired. This was done again by the organ builder Hans Andreas Weber in 1698/1699. In 1706 the organ was cleaned by the same. The organ was repaired in 1735 and on April 12, 1741. In 1814 it was in poor condition. On November 9, 1815, a contract for the construction of a new organ was concluded with the organ builder Heinrich Deppe from Nordhausen. On February 10, 1817, the city council of Nordhausen approved a house collection for the financing.

On October 18, 1872, Julius Strobel , organ builder from Frankenhausen, carried out repairs on the organ. In 1911 Ernst Röver from Hausneindorf built a new pneumatic organ. In 1929 the organ was rebuilt and a manual was added.

The organ survived the air raids on Nordhausen in 1945 unscathed, but was severely damaged in religious madness by a man returning from the war on June 1, 1945.

Schuster organ from 1995

In 1995 a three-manual mechanical organ was built by the Schuster company from Zittau. Until then, a positive was used to accompany the community.

I main work C– 1. Pommer 16 ′ 2. Principal 8th' 3. Capstan whistle 8th' 4th Viola di gambe 8th' 5. octave 4 ′ 6th Pointed flute 4 ′ 7th Fifth 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ 8th. Gemshorn 2 ′ 9. Mixture V 2 ′ 10. Trumpet 8th'

II Rückpositiv C– 11. Reed flute 8th' 12. Praestant 4 ′ 13. recorder 4 ′ 14th Nasat 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ 15th octave 2 ′ 16. third 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′ 17th octave 1' 18th Sharp IV 1' 19th Krummhorn 8th' Tremulant

III breastwork (swellable) C– 20th Dumped 8th' 21st Dulz flute 8th' 22nd Principal 4 ′ 23. Reed flute 4 ′ 24. octave 2 ′ 25th Fifth 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ 26th Cymbel III 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′ 27. Singing shelf 8th' Tremulant

Pedal C– 28. Principal 16 ′ 29 Sub-bass 16 ′ 30th octave 8th' 31. Gemshorn 8th' 32. Pommer 4 ′ 33. Chorale bass 4 ′ 34. Mixture VI 5 1 ⁄ 3  ′ 35. Trumpet 16 ′ 36. Wooden trumpet 8th' 37. Clarine 4 ′

• Coupling : II / I, III / I, I / P, II / P, III / P
• Playing aids : rocker panels for Brustwerk

Bells

The ringing consists of four bells .

The tuning bell, also known as the Joedecke bell , was donated in 1969 by the Joedecke siblings. It replaces a bell that was melted down in World War II, which was purchased in 1927 as a replacement for a bell that was melted down in 1917. It bears the inscription: “Jesus Christ, yesterday and today and the same forever. Michael Meyenburg and Johannes Spangenberg , the fathers of the Reformation in Nordhausen, in memory. Donated by the Joedicke siblings, 1969 “In 2007 a new bell cage was built for them, into which the bell was built. It was officially rung at Epiphany on January 6, 2008.

A second bell has a diameter of 1.28 m and a mass of 1200 kg and was cast between 1320 and 1350. It hangs in a belfry from 1843 and bears the inscription: "SABBATA PANGO FUNERA PLANGO NOXIA FRANGO EXCITO LENTOS PACO CRUENTOS DISSIPO VENTOS." (I propose the Sabbath days - I lament the burials - I break the harmful (lightning) - I do drive the slow - I appease the cruel - I scatter the winds)

A third bell with a diameter of 1.58 m and a mass of 1900 kg comes from the year 1488. Its belfry was built in 1726. It is decorated with incisions . These show a crucifix with John and Mary , St. Andrew , St. Blaise , giving a cripple, and St. Martin as bishop. A minuscule inscription around the neck reads: "maria o sanctvs blasivs o andreas o martinvs o pet o got o vor vnc o anno o dni omo cccc o lxxxviii o."

The fourth bell was cast as a ringing bell, but is used as a clock chime , also known as the Seiger bell . It has a diameter of 0.70 m and was cast in 1426. It bears the following inscription: "anno dni.m.ccc.xxvi.hilf got maria berat. Sanctus blasius" A small medallion with a Pietà is depicted on the bell .

Personalities

→ Main article : List of pastors at the Church of St. Blasii (Nordhausen)

Johann Spangenberg was the first Protestant pastor from 1524 to 1546. After that, Andreas Poach briefly held the pastoral office.

Christian Demelius , born in Schlettau, was cantor at this church from 1669 to 1711 ; his sons continued the office of cantor and organist here.

Michael Meyenburg was buried in the church in 1555.

literature

• Eugen Duval: Nordhausen's medieval grave monuments . Nordhausen: Nordhäuser Section des Harzverein, Theodor Perschmann, 1880, pp. 7–41, digitized version on geschichtsportal-nordhausen.de
• Elfriede Losche / Wolfgang Hartmann: 500 years of St. Blasii Church in Nordhausen . Nordhausen 1989.
• August Stolberg / Dr. Ing.Friedrich Stolberg: The architectural and art monuments of the city of Nordhausen . In: The thousand year old Nordhausen , Volume II., Nordhausen, 1927, pp. 544–552
• Johannes Schäfer: Nordhäuser organ chronicle - history of the organ works in the thousand-year-old town of Nordhausen am Harz in Max Schneider (ed.): Contributions to music research . Bookshop of the Waisenhauses GmbH Halle / Saale Berlin, 1939.
• Friedrich Trautmann: For the dedication of the St. Blasii Church in Nordhausen on October 31, 1949 . Nordhausen 1949. Digitized on NordhausenWiki
• Robert Treutler: Churches in Nordhausen - A foray through church life . Verlag Neukirchner, 9/1997, pp. 28-36

Web links

Commons : Blasiikirche (Nordhausen)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of the parish of St. Blasii
• St. Blasii on NordhausenWiki

Individual evidence

1. ^ The Leaning Tower of Nordhausen , accessed on February 11, 2019
2. ↑ Lieselotte Swietek: Churches in Thuringia , Thuringia publishing house, 1992, ISBN 3-86087-023-8 , pages 60/61
3. ↑ Nordhausen Police: Two crucifixes stolen from Nordhäuser Blasii Church , article in the Thüringer Allgemeine from April 18, 2016.
4. ↑ Dr. Hans Losche: The “Joedicke-Glocke” group of friends asks for donations to finance the hanging of the third bell in the Blasii church , In: Nordhäuser Nachrichten. Südharzer Heimatblätter published by the Nordhausen City Archives , 2/2007
5. ↑ Dr. Losche: St. Blasii has a complete bell again , In: Nordhäuser Nachrichten. Südharzer Heimatblätter published by the Nordhausen City Archives , 2/2008