Potsdamer Glockenspiel

Whose idea was it to build a replica of the Garnisonkirche’s carillon, here on the Plantage? The Potsdamer Glockenspiel, a towering presence, stands approximately 200 meters north of its original location. This isn’t the original carillon that enchanted Potsdam for centuries. That one met a fiery end in the bombing raid of April 14, 1945. Its bells melted in the inferno that consumed the Garnisonkirche. The Potsdamer Glockenspiel we see today is a testament to the persistence of tradition. Originally, a carillon graced the small tower of the first Garnisonkirche. Installed in 1722, it was the work of Amsterdam bell founder Jan Albert de Grave. The carillon was initially intended for the Fortunaportal, inspired by the bell music of Amsterdam’s Munttoren. The first Garnisonkirche, however, succumbed to the marshy ground it was built upon. The entire structure was demolished in 1730. The 35 bells of the carillon were salvaged. Another Amsterdam craftsman, Arnoldus Carsseboom, reassembled and enhanced the carillon. Between 1734 and 1735, he installed it in the lantern tower of the new church’s fourth story. Five large bass bells, cast by Johann Meurer in Berlin, joined the chorus. This expanded carillon was considered one of Europe’s finest. It even surpassed Berlin’s Parochialkirche carillon in size and power. The last cantor of the Garnisonkirche, Otto Becker, arranged roughly 200 sacred and secular songs for the carillon. Many of his concerts were broadcast over the radio waves, filling the air with the rich tones of the bells. Now fast forward to 1987. A group called the Traditionsgemeinschaft Potsdamer Glockenspiel e.V., led by Lieutenant Colonel Max Klaar, spearheaded an initiative. They built a replica of the Garnisonkirche’s carillon on the parade ground of the Winkelmann barracks in Iserlohn. After German reunification, this replica was gifted to Potsdam. Following much debate, it was erected on Plantagenplatz on April 14, 1991. This is the Potsdamer Glockenspiel you stand before. Forty bells comprise the current carillon. The largest weighs 1,900 kilograms and boasts a diameter of 1.5 meters. It can be played manually or automatically. Following a tradition established in 1797, the melody “Lobe den Herren” rings out every hour. “Üb immer Treu und Redlichkeit” graces the half-hour. This Potsdamer Glockenspiel, however, has seen controversy. In 2019, a petition called for its removal due to inscriptions deemed revisionist, right-wing, and militaristic. The carillon’s chimes were silenced. However, in a twist of fate, the Brandenburg State Monument Authority listed the Potsdamer Glockenspiel as a protected monument in July 2021. They recognized its urban significance. The Potsdamer Glockenspiel continues to stand. It serves as a reminder, not only of the original carillon, but also of the complex history and evolving perspectives that shape our present.