Listen closely. Did you know that the Heilandskirche’s tower is the second highest in Leipzig? Only the Peterskirche surpasses its 86 meters. The Heilandskirche stands tall in the Plagwitz district. It significantly shapes the townscape.
Let’s delve into its history. The Plagwitz council decided to build a church in 1884. The Heiland congregation was founded in 1885. It already had 17700 members. The estimated construction cost was 231000 Marks. Johannes Otzen from Berlin was commissioned as the architect. The first groundbreaking took place on March 25 1886.
The bells were a gift from the owner of the C. W. Naumann brewery. They were consecrated on December 23 1887. The church itself was consecrated on August 26 1888. The Heilandskirche was remodeled by Johannes Otzen in 1909 and 1910. It gained a new tower vestibule. The organ loft was extended. The interior facade was also renovated.
Many prominent Leipzig figures were members of the congregation. These included Ernst Mey Albert Karl Iseler Rudolph Sack and Hermann Pfabe.
The bells were removed in 1917 for metal donation during the war. In 1919 and 1920 three steel bells were acquired as replacements. These were consecrated on August 15 1920. The Heilandskirche was heavily damaged in World War II. It could not be used for some time. The tower vestibule built in 1910 was demolished in 1953 and 1954. The church’s interior was repainted. The rosettes in the windows were bricked up. Precarious structural elements were removed from the exterior.
The Gewandhaus Orchestra made many recordings in the Heilandskirche during the 1960s and 70s. Some were conducted by Vu00e1clav Neumann. The church’s acoustics were excellent for recordings. The Gewandhaus Orchestra lacked its own concert hall then. Pieces by Gustav Mahler Franz Liszt Bedu0159ich Smetana and Christoph Willibald Gluck were performed. The Rundfunkchor Leipzig also participated.
In 1981 the church interior was divided at the height of the gallery to help preserve the church. The lower area housed the Landeskirche’s art archive until 2018. It served as an exhibition and event space until 2020. The historic windows were replaced with clear glazing in 1983. The interior was repainted in 1986. It was based on the historic paint scheme. The altar pulpit and pews from 1888 were removed.
The tower renovation began in 1992. It had to be stopped in 1995 due to financial reasons. The bells of the Heilandskirche no longer ring for services. The historic Sauer organ Saxony’s oldest has not been played since 1976. The congregation received a smaller organ from the Netherlands in 1994.
The Heilandskirche is part of the Leipzig Lindenau-Plagwitz parish. Community and cultural events take place there.
Architect Johannes Otzen designed the Heilandskirche as a hall church. It was built in the historicizing style of Brick Gothic. The striking brick-covered church tower is 86 meters high. It is the second highest in Leipzig after the Peterskirche. A major conversion took place from 1980 to 1983. An intermediate ceiling was installed at the height of the galleries. This created space for the Landeskirche’s art archive and the community.
The Heilandskirche’s roof was newly covered in 2013 and 2014. The exterior facade was renovated in 2017. Major renovations took place throughout 2022. The church’s transformation creates a blend of sacred space industrial charm and modern lifestyle. Spaces for communication faith and culture are opening up.
Since October 28 2023 the Stadtteilzentrum Westkreuz is located in the sacred building. It serves as a place for family celebrations seminars concerts exhibitions theater and panel discussions. It is a meeting place for people of all generations and religions.
The church has two organs. One was built by Wilhelm Sauer in 1888. Ernst Mey funded it. The Interessenkreis Sauer-Orgel was founded in 2019. Concerts and events are held on the repaired organ. This raises awareness and funds for its restoration.
The disposition of this organ was significantly altered in 1948. Gebr. Jehmlich carried out the work.
The second organ is a two-manual mechanical instrument. It is meantone tuned. This Dutch organ came to Leipzig in 1994. It has a reed stop in the second manual. It lacks its own pedal division. But it has a subbass and two pedal couplers.
In conclusion the Heilandskirche is more than just a building. It’s a living testament to Leipzig’s history and community spirit. It continues to evolve meeting the needs of a changing world.