Reflections on the Churches of East Germany (Part II)

Churches on the Trail

(This set of three blog posts was posted chronologically. I suggest, if this is your first viewing that you read Part I first.)


One of my goals during this hike was to pay more attention to the buildings around me, in particular the churches, some of which date back to the 1200's.

Güterfelde

Dorfkirche Evangelical Church, Güterfelde

I’m walking through the village, maybe it is a hamlet, of Güterfelde, which translates roughly as “Good Fields”. I am looking for a coffee shop or bar, but there is none to be found.

The first documented mention of the village dates back to 1263.

The church was probably built at this time as a hall church with a rectangular floor plan. In the 14th century, the community built the tower to the present height. In 1867 the parish community, in what must have been quite the project for the time, expanded the choir to the width of the nave.

The tower was damaged during the Second World War.

Renovations completed on the building and tower in 2010 preserved four large and one small arched windows to the nave.

The weather is nice today. The snow cover is pretty and the hiking pace is comfortable … not too slow, not too fast.

Saarmund

Dorfkirche Evangelical Church, Saarmund

I walk into Saarmund late in the afternoon after snow, drizzle and a downpour. I am cold, tired, hungry and lack any sense of humor. I have a pilgrim reservation at the church sanctuary. As I speak with the Lutheran pastor, there is some confusion on my part, as we are speaking in German. He finally walks me to the church community center across the street.


The village church of Saarmund was built as a flat-roofed, three-aisled basilica in the Italianate neo-Romanesque style in the years 1846–1849. World War II left significant damage. The roof and tower of the church have so far been restored. In 2016, residents and friends of the town financed renovations for a new tower clock in celebration of the town's 800th anniversary.


The church still uses the organ from 1848.


There is a three-part bell in the bell chamber of the tower with the inscriptions: “Glory to God in the highest”, “Peace on earth” and “Goodwill to men”.


I make a supermarket run for vitals.With the many, large windows of the community center, it takes all night to heat the room. By 9:00 pm, I am inside my sleeping sack and under two blankets. Jet-lag and the cold weather finally catch up to me and I sleep for twelve hours.

Elsholz

Dorfkirche Evangelical Church, Elsholz, Brandenburg

I enter Elsholz, another hamlet. For me the village is unremarkable. By this time, I figure out that Evangelical in German simply means Lutheran in English.


Elsholz was first mentioned in documents, dating around the 1330’s. The church was built in 1712. From 1796 to 1797 the parish added the west tower on the face of the church.


The altarpiece probably dates from the time the church was built. The church has a painting showing Jesus' Last Supper, which dates from the end of the 19th century.


I walk through Elsholz on my way to Salzbrunn.

Salzbrunn

Dorfkirche Evangelical Church, Salzbrunn

Salzbrunn is the second village of the day, and is also remarkably quiet. My manner of dress should immediately mark me as a stranger. Despite the backpack and hiking poles, I pass through Salzbrunn, like Elsholz, unnoticed.


The Protestant village church of Salzbrunn is a hall church from the 1780’s. In 1897 the building received leaded glass windows. In 1908, the parish installed the church organ, costing 1,000 marks at the time. Inflation and exchange rate adjusted, that comes to approximately $46,000.


In 1911, lightning struck the church, damaging much artistic work. During the Second World War, the parish bell was given away for metal donation to the war effort; it was only replaced in 1956. In 2003, a comprehensive renovation was carried out for around 100,000 euros.


By this point, I can not help but contrast these German villages with the equivalent Spanish villages. In Spain the vast majority of residents are amazingly friendly and greet us pilgrims as we pass on the street with a “Buen Camino”, which translates to “Good journey”. The Germans are more austere, as I have learned in my culture studies. Routine pleasantries are rare here.


While pleasantries in passing are nice, they aren’t meaningful. I am learning that hiking in Germany requires a deeper peace with solitude.

Treuenbrietzen

Sankt Marien Evangelical Kirche

Sankt Marien Evangelical Kirche, Treuenbrietzen, Brandenburg

Just over an hour ago, I was lost in the Richter Lucken Forest, breaking trail through brush, scrub and fallen trees. The Nieplitz River is to my left, but I can’t find a crossing to make it to Highway Bundesstrasse 2, and get out of this mess. Eventually I find a bridge back to the main highway.


I am completing my fourth day of hiking, and passing my third church of the day. I stop long enough for a few pictures.


St Mary’s Lutheran church is made of stone and brick in a transitional style between late Romanesque and early Gothic The existing building was probably started in the early 13th century, and completed in the 1260’s as a cross-shaped pillar basilica.


The apse is Romanesque with arched windows, the transept and nave are early Gothic with slightly pointed arched windows. The west tower is late Gothic.


The baroque organ was consecrated in 1741.


According to Google maps, I am only about 10 minutes away from my villa for the night. I’m doing it up in style, because it happens to be the only place available in town.

Sankt Nikolai Catholic Kirche

Sankt Nikolai Catholic Kirche, Treuenbrietzen

On the way to my villa for the night, I walk past the first Catholic church on this hike. The church of St. Nikolai is an early Gothic brick church, built in vault-style. As is usual, the tower is built over the crossing of the nave and the transept.


The construction of the Church of St. Nikolai began in the early 1200’s as a three-aisled, cross-shaped pillar basilica. It was made of brick similar to the neighboring Lutheran St. Mary's Church. The church has multiple apses, which are attached to the choir and the transept arms.


A restoration took place from 1969 to 1976, during which the remains of a depiction of Jesus in the dome of the main apse from the first half of the 15th century was uncovered.


I continue along the Bundesstrasse 2, which is the main street of Treuenbrietzen. I reach my villa for the night. It is big, warm, comfy, warm, luxurious and warm. The hot shower feels great on these chilled bones.

Wölkau

Patronatskirche, Wölkau, Saxony

I’m on my ninth day of hiking. I come across the most interesting style of church that I have seen so far.


The forerunner of this church fell into disrepair after the Thirty Years War, which went from about 1618 to 1648. The war was initiated by Holy Roman Empire attempts to reestablish Catholicism in the Saxony region. However, over time, the war was less about religion and more about which political structures would evolve as the victors. Religious sides shifted in the later stages of the war.


In 2022, while hiking through the heavily Catholic area of Bavaria, I often saw the “Onion Dome” style of church tower. However it is very rare in Protestant Brandenburg and Saxony. There are comments that the style is better because it holds less snow, however because of the strong religious ties to its use, I doubt that.


The church is no longer an active parish, and is now a historical site. In my readings, the actual structure has been an unending source of major maintenance nightmares since its inception in the 1680’s. The vaulted roof collapsed decades ago, and the nave is exposed to the elements. Patronatskirche is currently used for cultural events by the community.

Krostitz

Sankt Laurentius Evangelical Church, Krostitz, Saxony

It is Day 11 of the trip. According to AirBnb, Booking.com and Travelocity, there's literally no place to stay in Krostitz. However, my pilgrim guide lists the village church, where the pastor makes a couch available for pilgrims.


I emailed the pastor the night before, but it is a Saturday, and I’m wondering if I'll even hear back. I need a fallback plan.


And wouldn’t you guess? About half-way through the day, I hear back, and I'm on the couch at St. Laurentius Church.


Construction started at the very beginning of the 13th century (approximately 1206 CE). Around the early 1600’s, rebuilding commenced as a hall-style church, built in a combination of both Romanesque and Gothic styles.


Although there is something cool about taking refuge from the elements in a church community center, this one is also cold. I’m in the second floor community room, and the men’s room is on the first floor. I must go out the door, into the winter air, down the stairs and through the door into the first floor. In the middle of the night and first thing in the morning, I do this mad dash quickly.