Imagine Catholics streaming into Haslach in the 19th century. They needed a place to worship. This is the story of Sankt-Michael.
Welcome to Sankt-Michael in Freiburg. This Catholic church stands in the Haslach district. Its history mirrors the changing religious landscape of this area. Sankt-Michael has witnessed centuries of faith and transformation.
Haslach was first mentioned in 786. A document from 1275 notes a parish church. This early church was dedicated to Saint Gallus. When Haslach came under the rule of Badenweiler it became Protestant. The rulers adopted Martin Luther’s teachings. The existing church became a Protestant one. In 1922, it was renamed Melanchthonkirche.
As more Catholics settled in Haslach in the 1800s they needed their own church. The “Kleine Kirchle” was built in 1866. It was dedicated to Saint Michael.
The community grew quickly. On October 17, 1909, the first section of the new Sankt-Michael church was consecrated. Raimund Jeblinger had started construction on July 28, 1907. The church reached its current form between 1954 and 1956. A second construction phase added the tower. The original church, St. Michael’s Chapel still exists. It now serves a different purpose.
Inside Sankt-Michael note the artwork. The corpus of the cross and the figures of Mary and John are striking. They are copies of those on the triumphal cross in Wechselburg Monastery church. Joseph Dettlinger created these oak figures in 1909. He accented them with gold and silver paint. Franz Schilling handled the church’s painting. He, Dettlinger, and Jeblinger all worked together before. They collaborated on the Archbishop’s Ordinariate building too.
Helmut Lutz from Breisach redesigned the interior from 1988 to 1996. His images focused on creation. Also his new celebration altar attracted much attention.
Listen for the organ. M. Welte & Söhne built it in 1936. It has 25 stops, two manuals, and a pedal. Around 1950, its sound was altered a bit. In 2020/21, Waldkircher Orgelbau Jäger & Brommer restored the instrument. They returned it to its original 1936 condition.
Hear the bells ringing from the tower. The tower was added in the 1950s. Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling cast five bells in Heidelberg in December 1960. Each bell has a name and a distinct tone. There is a Christusglocke a Marienglocke, a Michaelsglocke, a Johannesglocke and a Stephanuglocke.
The original Michaelskapelle from 1866 was transformed in 2007. It became the Treffpunkt St. Michael. This was a joint project with the local Caritas. It now houses a café and the parish office.
Sankt-Michael now joins with St. Andreas and St. Maria Magdalena. Together, they form the Freiburg-Südwest pastoral care unit.
So, Sankt-Michael stands as a testament to faith. It reflects community and artistic collaboration. Its evolving story continues to enrich Freiburg.