City church Biedenkopf

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View from the Schlossberg to the church
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The town church Biedenkopf is a listed church building of the Evangelical Lutheran parish in Biedenkopf , a central Hessian town in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district .

location

The geostete church is located on a terrace at about halfway up the Schlossberg -Südhangs middle of the Upper Town and determines the appearance of this oldest part of the city. In the adjacent neighborhood are the parish hall, the rectory ( half-timbered building from 1717), the old town hall, the old market square with town hall fountain and the donor house .

History and architecture

Michaelskirche

It is possible that there was a forerunner named Michaelskirche at the site of the Johanneskirche . The assumption is based on the naming of a church fair in the town book of Biedenkopf. There, the election of the mayor in 1366 is recorded under the term “city custom”, with the words “the monday after our Michael’s fair”. The floor plan of the Johanneskirche on building plans from 1860 shows Romanesque foundation walls of three apses and the church tower; Whether they belong to an old building that already existed in the 12th century or to the Johanneskirche cannot be recognized there.

Johanneskirche

Demolition of St. John's Church in 1888

The Johanneskirche (also called Johanniskirche ), originally consecrated to John the Baptist , was built around 1250. It was built as an early Gothic , three-aisled hall church in slate , with a slightly raised central nave, square wooden pillars and strong stone pillars in front. It belonged to the type of Westphalian hall churches of the transition period ( 13th century ). Due to a construction error in the installation of the vault in the side aisle , the building showed cracks after a short time. During an extensive renovation in 1690, retaining walls were drawn in on the south and entrance sides. The church survived the great conflagration of April 17, 1635, the pillage of the city and the fire of 1647, as well as the last great city fire on July 28, 1717. In 1860 the church was so dilapidated that it was no longer possible to preserve it by repairing it. Therefore it was closed in 1864. The demolition began 24 years later, on March 5, 1888, while retaining the sacristy and the emergency chapel . Originally, the Gothic choir was also to be preserved, but it collapsed during the course of the demolition work. The choir stalls of the Johanneskirche with excellently carved cheeks from 1522 and the richly furnished pulpit from 1613 were secured and have been in the Frankfurt Historical Museum ever since .

Chapel of Emergency

Emergency Chapel

In 1415 the Nothgotteskapelle (spelling also Not-Gottes-Kapelle ) was built in the late Gothic style. In 1511, the shoemakers' guild dedicated a foundation to the chapel. It consists of a two-bay , cross-vaulted room (with sandstone bays) and is located on the north side of today's choir. The keystones of the vault bear the coat of arms of the von Breidenbach family, because the chapel was a foundation of the Lords of Breidenbach zu Breidenstein . Today the chapel is a memorial for those who fell in the two world wars. Four iron plates - cast in 1921 based on a design by Ludwig Blöcher - bear the names of those who died in the First World War . A book commemorates the fallen of the Second World War . On the outer wall there are coats of arms of those of Breidenbach and von Erfurtshausen with saints ( St. Peter ) and a kneeling angel holding the coat of arms.

sacristy

The sacristy was also built in 1415 . It is located on the south side of today's choir. Two vaulted pillars of the sacristy are shaped as expressive male heads. The third vault support is decorated with flowers and tendrils. Above the door to the choir hangs a crucifix made of acacia wood (by Werner Klinkenberg 1951–1953). An " Eye of God " from the prospectus of the Schlottmann organ is also kept in the sacristy.

City Church

The construction time of the new neo-Gothic city ​​church, designed by the architect and high-ranking Prussian construction officer Friedrich Adler, lasted from 1888 to 1891 - the foundation stone was laid on September 2, 1888, and the inauguration took place on November 25, 1891. The size, construction and style of the hall church was modeled on the old Johanneskirche, from which the door and window frames, decorative elements and the design of the tower were adopted. The church has 3 x 3 yokes and a 5/8 end . The church interior is vaulted with a groin and is structured by round pillars. The choir is provided with a ribbed vault with keystones. Stalls , pulpit, galleries and organ front are from the construction period 1888–1891. The tower consists of a Romanesque arched frieze with narrow high pairs of windows that alternate on three floors with round and pointed arches . Above are four wooden gables, each with a pair of arched windows as sound openings. The upper third of the tower spire grows out of the round, smaller gables that support the delicate spire. On the north side outside there is a heraldic panel with three figures under eyelashes .

In 1958 and 1978 the church was renovated. In 1991 the 100th anniversary was honored with a festival week.

Peal

The oldest bell with a medieval character was cast in bronze around 1250, today's "nine o'clock bell". A second bell from 1440 is no longer available today. A third bell was cast in bronze in 1485 by Heinrich Kannengießer, Gießen; With a diameter of 118 cm it is the largest bell in the ring. In 1952 the "Fallen Bell" and the "Our Father Bell" were cast by JF Weule in Bockenem . These two bells bear the inscription “Peace on Earth! For the glory of God our bells are to ring and sing in memory of the fallen. ”And“ After war and suffering and hard times I call again to bliss. O country, country, country, hear the word of the Lord. ”Since then the ringing has consisted of four bells.

Interior

inside view

crucifix

The wooden sculpture of a life-size crucifix with INRI probably dates from 1625/26 - "probably from the triumphal arch " assumed in 1958 the state curator of Hesse, Hans Feldtkeller . The assumption is to be interpreted in such a way that the crucifix hung in the choir arch in earlier times , as it was e.g. B. is the case in Ulm Minster .

Baptismal font

In the middle of the corridor, in front of the steps to the choir, there is a stone baptismal font on a solid stand from 1682 with the inscription "In 1682 Johann Hermann Dör was a hospice census" - an indication that the baptismal font was originally in the hospital church.

Grave slabs and epitaphs

On the walls of the choir there are five grave slabs that were set into the ground before the new building to cover the actual graves, and two epitaphs in memory of respected, former citizens of Biedenkopf; thus, all of these panels document a piece of Biedenkopf's town history. The former placement of the grave slabs on the ground is evident from the typical signs of wear. In all of them, the raised parts are partially sanded off beyond recognition; even the bronze inlays of the Doliator plate show significant material losses. The two real epitaphs, which were always placed on the walls as pure memorial plates without any direct spatial reference to a burial, are, however, much better preserved. What the three grave slabs from the 17th century have in common is their usual structure. Dates and names are given on a wide margin, starting at the top left. The wording of the funeral sermon can be read in the middle of the three under the choir windows and on the epitaph of the Pfeffer family. The slab at the entrance to the choir is made of sandstone with bronze inlays, the one to the left of the entrance to the Notgotteskapelle is a bronze slab; the other five panels, however, are made of sandstone.

  1. On the left end wall of the nave at the entrance to the choir: a large grave slab with brass inlays from 1520. It belonged to the grave of the last Catholic clergyman Biedenkopf before the Reformation, Pastor Dr. Hiltwin Walther called Doliator. In older literature it is historically referred to as "Budicker", the exact reason for this can no longer be determined today. In the parish register, the family is only listed under "Walther". The tombstone itself only mentions the nickname Doliator (= Böttcher) and shows the coat of arms of the Walther family. In the middle of the grave slab, the deceased himself is depicted in a life-size chasuble with the doctors' headgear. The four corners of the frame are decorated with the insignia of the four evangelists (man - Matthew, eagle - John, ox - Luke, lion - Mark). The surrounding inscription on the frame names the pastor's name and merits, as well as his foundations: "D (o) m (i) nus Hiltwinus Doliatorus, sa (n) ct (a) e theologi (a) e arc (/ t) iumque doctorus egre (gi) us; trium beneficiorum fundator; plebearius huius ecclesi (a) e vigilantiss (imus) obiit. " In German: "Mr. Hiltwin Doliator, excellent doctor of holy theology and the (other six free) arts, founder of three (charitable) foundations; most caring people's priest of this church, died." (Transmission and translation: Christoph Kaiser, April 21, 2020) In the middle of the lower part of the frame is the coat of arms of the Walther family, two crossed hammers. Hiltwin Walther called Doliator died on February 24, 1520.
  2. The first epitaph keeps the memory of the first Protestant pastor and his family alive: Gerlach Walther, a nephew of Hiltwin Walther. He began his pastoral work in Biedenkopf in 1526. The bronze epitaph was donated by his son Theophil and names not only the date of death of the father (December 17, 1578) but also that of the mother (June 17, 1574). In the lower part there are five men on the left, probably a father and four sons, and on the right ten women, probably the mother and nine daughters, all in mourning clothes. The crossed hammers, the original coat of arms of the Walthers, can also be seen here.
  3. The second grave slab shows a nappy child named Maria Hedwig Zieslerin. She was the daughter of the mayor Johannes Ziesler and was born on November 1, 1650 and baptized on November 10. After 26 days, on November 26th 1650, Maria Hedwig died. Below the picture of the child are two civil coats of arms, on the left a heart from which three flowers grow (Ziesler), on the right a jug (her mother was a born Kanngießer). The inscription reads: "Maria Hedwig D (o) m (in) i Iohannis Ziesler Praetoris Biedenkopfiensis filiola 1650 1 Novem (bris) nata 10 eiusdem renata et 26 eiusd (em) denata aetatis suae 26 dier (um)". German: "Maria Hedwig, the little daughter of Johannes Ziesler, born in 1650 on November 1st, reborn on the 10th of the same (month) (= baptized) and on the 26th of the same (month) gave birth (= died), her age 26 days." (Transmission and translation: Christoph Kaiser, April 21, 2020).
  4. The third grave slab is that of the child's mother, Anna Katharina Zieslerin. She died on October 20, 1651, at the age of 40. In the middle she is shown as a half-length portrait with folded hands. The 20th verse from Chapter 3 can be read from Paul's letter to the Philippians. The coats of arms of the Ziesler and Kanngießer families can also be found here.
  5. The fourth grave slab is that of Hedwig Bruhnin, born Ruhlin, who died on October 3, 1639, the wife of Hans Peter Bruhen. The sermon text is taken from the 19th chapter of the book of Job.
  6. The fifth grave plate shows the portrait of Anna Elisabeth Waltherin, born Pistorin, with a high-necked dress and bonnet. Only December 30th of the date of death can be recognized. She was the wife of the rent master Philipp Wilhelm Walther, who held the office of rent master in Biedenkopf from 1639 to 1650. Below the picture is a text from Isaiah 56 and Wisdom 3. Below is the later Walther coat of arms, with a circle above the crossed hammers, as well as the coat of arms of the Pistor family, a person riding a flying bird. The text is framed on the long side by baroque motifs, tendrils and snails.
  7. The second epitaph is for rent master Michaelis Pfeffer, who died on December 3, 1615. It was donated by his son Henrich Pfeffer. This plate also contains the death dates of three children of Henrich Pfeffer. Johannes Henrich Pfeffer died on Pentecost in 1620 at the age of 2; his 4-year-old brother Jost Henrich died on the following Whit Monday. The youngest child in the family, Werner Pfeffer, 28 weeks old, died on the 4th Monday after Pentecost of the same year (1620). The sermon text from Wisdom 4 is immortalized under these dates of death. Biedenkopfer Straße "Pfefferacker" is named after this family.

organ

The first organ was installed in 1654 by Georg Henrich Wagner from Lich . A Schlottmann organ was installed in the Johanneskirche between 1791 and 1792 . At Christmas 1979 a new organ by Friedrich Weigle was played for the first time in the town church .

pulpit

The pulpit with sound cover was made by the Gustav Kuntzsch Art Institute in Wernigerode . The wood sculptor (from 1894: court sculptor) Gustav Kuntzsch lived from 1848 to 1919.

window

The art glass work in the pointed arched windows comes from the arts and crafts institute KJ Schultz from Marburg .

Gallery

Below the gallery is a book of scriptures with verses from the Bible: Ephesians 4: 4–6; John 10: 27-28: "I do not only ask for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word ...". The font, executed in gold bronze, was made by the Wallau artist and restorer Rudibert Halver.

Church utensils

The collection of church utensils includes a gilded copper goblet (early 15th century ), a gilded silver goblet (1780) and two pewter wine jugs (around 1800).

Parish

The Evangelical Lutheran parish in Biedenkopf, which belongs to the town church of Biedenkopf, is divided into two districts, the western district with a rectory at Bei der Kirche 11 (parsonage from 1717) and the eastern district with a rectory at Kottenbachstrasse 31a (parish hall). The parish churches are the town church and the hospital church .

Picture gallery

  • The town church in the context of the Upper Town and the Schlossberg

  • Entrance portal

Web links

Commons : Stadtkirche (Biedenkopf)  - Collection of images

References and comments

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Guided tour of the city church. Leaflet (PDF; 273 kB) of the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Biedenkopf. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  2. ↑ Dieter Schneider: The medieval town church formerly St. Johannes Ev. , P. 35 ff, in Stadtkirche Biedenkopf 1891–1991, reports from the past and present. without editor
  3. ↑ a b c d Karl Huth : Biedenkopf: Castle and town through the centuries . Ed .: Magistrate of the City of Biedenkopf. Wetzlardruck GmbH, Wetzlar 1977.
  4. ↑ For the city fires, see the chapter "Fires that struck the city" in Karl Huth: Biedenkopf: Castle and city through the centuries . Ed .: Magistrate of the City of Biedenkopf. Wetzlardruck GmbH, Wetzlar 1977, p. 65 f .
  5. ↑ Gerald Bamberger: The new city church . In: History and stories of our city, festival book for the 750th anniversary of the city of Biedenkopf . tape 1 . Wetzlar 2008, p. 178 .
  6. ↑ Rudolph gives 1613 as the year for the choir stalls.
  7. ↑ a b c d e f Hans Feldtkeller: The architectural and art monuments of the Biedenkopf district - short inventory . Ed .: The State Conservator of Hesse (=  The architectural and art monuments of the State of Hesse - Wiesbaden district ). Eduard Roether Verlag, Darmstadt 1958, DNB  451231864 , p. 16 .
  8. ↑ a b c d e f Frank W. Rudolph: Evangelical Churches in the Dean's Office Biedenkopf (=  Great DKV Art Guide ). Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin & Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-422-02355-0 , p. 24 f .
  9. ↑ Stadtkirche Biedenkopf - history and photos Website of the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Biedenkopf. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  10. ↑ Rudolph gives 1976 as the year for the new organ.
  11. ↑ Appointment, in: Wernigerödisches Intellektiven-Blatt of October 17, 1894.
  12. ↑ Götz J. Pfeiffer: "linked to the last offshoots of the old tradition". The Marburg glass painting workshop KJ Schultz since 1850 . In: Hessian homeland . Volume 68, 2018, p. 10-16 .
  13. ↑ Georg Dehio ; Edited by Magnus Backes: Hessen . In: Handbook of German Art Monuments . First volume. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich, Berlin 1966, p.  80 .

Coordinates: 50 ° 54 ′ 47.88 "  N , 8 ° 31 ′ 44.88"  E