Walter Feurich

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Walter Feurich (born October 4, 1922 in Dresden ; † February 4, 1981 there ) was a German Evangelical Lutheran pastor .

Live and act

Feurich was the son of a Dresden lawyer . After graduating from university, he studied theology , philosophy and German at the University of Leipzig . In 1936 - at the age of just fourteen - he joined the Confessing Church (BK) and was already doing theological and pastoral services in it as a student . Because he was not accepted for pastoral work, he worked illegally as a vicar for a BK congregation from 1944 onwards . After a forced service in the Wehrmacht and subsequent captivityIn 1945 he was appointed vicar at the Trinity Church in Dresden and ordained pastor there in 1946 . Two years later he changed to the parish ministry at the Lukaskirche . Here in 1948 he called the "Ecclesiastical-Theological Working Group of the Confessing Church in Germany" into being and took over its chairmanship. From 1961 until his death he was chairman of the Church Brotherhood of Saxony .

From 1961 he worked as an unofficial employee of Klemm for the State Security and reported regularly on church internals. For this he was paid 200 marks a month.

In the early 1970s were his failing health, but also the now occurring church political tensions with his church leadership as an opportunity to him prematurely emeritus . In retirement he did his doctorate on the theologian Carl Mensing at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg . In the following years he also dealt with the theological teachers of the Confessing Church and the question of their relevance for being a Christian under socialism. To this end, he published obligatory newspapers and magazines in the GDR CDU .

Feurich was a member of the GDR Peace Council and worked in the Christian Peace Conference , of which he was a member of the GDR regional committee for several years.

Walter Feurich was married to his wife Anneliese geb. Melzer (1923–2016), also an unofficial employee of the State Security under the code name "Lisa". After his death she took care of the continuation of his work and the dissemination of his theological convictions as well as his suggestions for church politics, both in the Christian Peace Conference and in the working groups " Christian circles " within the National Front of the GDR . In old age she published her memories of the life path with her husband. In 2008, already at the age of 85, she gave readings from her book and took part in public discussion.

His estate is kept in the Walter Feurich archive.

Publications

  • Lutheran Church at work. Review of the first general synod in Leipzig . In: Diezeichen der Zeit (ZdZ), 1949, pp. 15–16
  • The Ev.-Luth. Regional church of Saxony at the turn of 1933/34 . In: Evangelische Theologie (Journal) , Issue 8, August 1961, pp. 368–381
  • Paul Schneider - Brothers, be strong . Christ in the World, 13, Berlin GDR 1967, 1984 (2nd edition)
  • You could already understand it at school. Memory report , in Heinrich Fink, ed .: Stronger than fear. The six million who couldn't find a savior. Union, Berlin 1968, pp. 76-79
  • Materials on the life's work of Carl Mensing (1863–1953). A contribution to the recent church history of Saxony . Diss. Theol. Halle 1978, 2 volumes (manuscript).
  • Transition or a new beginning? On the church restructuring in Saxony in 1918/1919 . In: Between departure and perseverance . Berlin GDR 1978, pp. 63–89.
  • Teacher - advisor - friend . An afterword by WF In: Eberhard Busch : Karl Barth's curriculum vitae . Berlin GDR 1979.
  • Barmen today . In: Standpunkt. Supplement: 40 years of Barmen. Berlin DDR [1974], p. 18f.
  • In following Jesus Christ . In: Standpunkt. Berlin GDR 1977, p. 4ff.
  • The Liberals in the Confessing Church . In: Standpunkt. Berlin GDR 1977, p. 301f.
  • Our cooperation is indispensable. Memories of Martin Richter . In: Standpunkt. Berlin GDR 1979, p. 121f.
  • Barmer Theological Declaration . In: Theological Lexicon . Berlin GDR 1981, pp. 63–65.
  • Confessing Church . In: Ibid., Pp. 71-74.
  • Brotherhoods, ecclesiastical, in the GDR . In: Ibid, p. 93.
  • Darmstadt word . In: Ibid, p. 122f.
  • Dialectical theology . In: Ibid, p. 134f.
  • Romance . In: Ibid, p. 443f.
  • Stuttgart Declaration . In: Ibid., P. 467f.
  • Life report of a parish priest in Dresden . Union, Berlin 1982
  • The dispute between the theological liberals under the leadership of Carl Mensing and the representatives of the early dialectical theology under Karl Fischer in the Bund für Contemporary Christianum in Saxony . In: Hostels of Christianity 1983/1984 . Berlin 1985, pp. 93-118
  • Foreword in: Walter Feurich, Karl Barth: Clarification - Effect - Awakening . Berlin 1986

As editor

  • Karl Barth: Clarification and Effect. On the prehistory of "Church Dogmatics" and on the church struggle . Berlin 1966
  • Martin Niemöller: What would Jesus say about that? Speeches - Sermons - Essays 1937 to 1980 . Berlin 1981

literature

  • Walter Feurich: October 4, 1922 to February 4, 1981 . In: Standpunkt, 9, 1981, p. 61.
  • Wolfgang Heyde: Thanks to Walter Feurich . In: Standpunkt, 9, 1981, p. 103.
  • Thomas Friebel: Impetus from theologians who saw themselves as leftists . In: Church and Political Responsibility in the Soviet Zone and the GDR 1945–1969. An investigation into the public relations mandate of the Protestant churches in Germany . Gütersloh publishing house Gerd Mohn, Gütersloh 1992.
  • Rudolf Mau: Integrated into real socialism? The Evangelical Church as a problem of the SED . Göttingen 1994, pp. 100-129
  • Anneliese Feurich: From the Rhine to the Elbe. My years at the side of a Dresden parish priest . Dresden 2003
  • Horst Dohle, Joachim Heise, Rimco Spanjer (eds.): See history in the face. For Bé Ruys' 80th birthday. Autobiographical sketches, memories and reflections . Rothenburg odT 1997. In it:
    • Anneliese Feurich: Red roses on the grave of Walter Feurich
    • Anneliese Feurich: Walter Feurich on duty for conscientious objectors and for alternative military service in the GDR (documents)
  • J. Jürgen Seidel:  FEURICH, Walter. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 23, Bautz, Nordhausen 2004, ISBN 3-88309-155-3 , Sp. 375-377.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Peter Beier: Missionary Congregation in a Socialist Environment: The Church Congress Work in Saxony in the Context of SED Church Policy (1968–1975). (Works on contemporary church history. Series B, representations, volume 32), Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1999, ISBN 9783525557327 , p. 173
  2. ^ Erwin Bischof: Honecker's handshake: Relations between Switzerland and GDR 1960-1990 , p. 133
  3. ↑ Rotary Club Stollberg Erzgerbirge protocol from April 22nd, 2004. Archived from the original on June 10, 2004 ; Retrieved December 5, 2014 .
  4. ↑ Reading: From the Rhine to the Elbe. My years at the side of a Dresden parish priest. August 22, 2009, archived from the original on December 5, 2014 ; Retrieved December 5, 2014 .
  5. ↑ J. Jürgen Seidel:  FEURICH, Walter. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 23, Bautz, Nordhausen 2004, ISBN 3-88309-155-3 , Sp. 375-377.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )
  6. ^ Peer Pasternack: Church & University, Theology & Politics in the GDR and East Germany. (pdf) Annotated bibliography Period of publication Autumn 1989 - 1996. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014 ; Retrieved December 5, 2014 .
  7. ↑ Horst Dohle, Joachim Heise: See history in the face. For the 80th birthday of Bé Ruys autobiographical sketches, memories and reflections. Rimco Spanjer, archived from the original on November 28, 2007 ; Retrieved December 5, 2014 .
personal data
SURNAME Feurich, Walter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Evangelical Lutheran clergyman, unofficial employee of the GDR State Security
DATE OF BIRTH October 4, 1922
PLACE OF BIRTH Dresden , Saxony , Weimar Republic
DATE OF DEATH 4th February 1981
Place of death Dresden , Dresden District , GDR