“Sixty-thousand Goldmark for two churches, but they must be named Sacred Heart of Jesus.” That was the anonymous donor’s condition around 1900. Today, we stand before one of these churches, the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Bremerhaven-Lehe.
This Catholic parish church on Eupener Straße was built in 1910 and 1911. Its history reflects the growth of Bremerhaven and the Catholic community here. The Herz-Jesu-Kirche is more than just a building. It’s a testament to faith and community.
Bremerhaven grew rapidly in the late 19th century. Lehe’s population boomed. The existing Catholic church became too small. Plans began for new parish churches in Lehe and Geestemünde. An anonymous donation of 60,000 Goldmark spurred the projects on. There was a condition. Both churches had to be named Herz-Jesu-Kirche. In 1906, the St. Joseph Church Building Association was founded. The Lehe parish was established in March 1908.
Architect Maximilian Jagielski won the design competition. He was known for his historicist Catholic church designs. Jagielski created a Neo-Gothic basilica with Art Nouveau elements. Johannes Georg Weber, a master builder from Lehe, constructed the church. The Herz-Jesu-Kirche has a red brick facade. Its gabled roof is covered with red tiles. The church is 48.80 meters long and 21.80 meters wide. The nave is about 12 meters high.
The imposing tower stands at 55 meters tall. It features a square, pointed spire. A smaller addition on the northwest side has a hexagonal roof. Bishop Adolf Bertram consecrated the Herz-Jesu-Kirche on August 13, 1911. The parish was officially established on April 12, 1919.
Remarkably, the church survived World War II almost unscathed. An organ was added in 1948. A new organ with 42 stops replaced it in 1981. G. Christian Lobback built this new organ. Renovations in 1990 and 1991 refreshed the interior. White and light-colored plaster brightened the walls and ceiling. Forty-two concrete piles were added to stabilize the foundations. Restored windows returned to the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in 1991.
Three bells hang in the tower. They were made in 1959 by the Otto bell foundry in Bremen-Hemelingen. The bells create a major triad. The Herz-Jesu-Glocke weighs 1955 kg. The Marienglocke weighs 1041 kg. The Josephglocke weighs 598 kg.
The Herz-Jesu-Kirche belongs to the Catholic parish of Hl. Herz Jesu. This parish includes northern parts of Bremerhaven. It also includes parts of the Cuxhaven district in Lower Saxony. The parish includes St. Benedict Chapel in Bad Bederkesa. The churches Unbefleckte Empfängnis Mariä and St. Ansgar are also part of the parish since 2014.
A Stolperstein in front of the Herz-Jesu-Kirche commemorates Bernhard Görge. He was a former pastor. He died from mistreatment by the Nazis in 2021. The Herz-Jesu-Kirche stands as a protected monument since 2002.
As you leave, remember the anonymous donor. Remember the vision of a growing community. Remember the enduring spirit of the Herz-Jesu-Kirche.