“Elend” and “Wohnungsnot”. Do you know what connects these German words? They paint a picture of Ottakring’s past. A past where poverty and a lack of housing shaped the need for the Kirche Maria Namen. This church stands as a testament to faith amidst hardship.
Today we stand before the Pfarrkirche Maria Namen. It is located in Vienna’s 16th district, Ottakring. Its address is Hasnerstraße 11. But its story begins long before this modern structure.
Let’s journey back to the early 20th century. Ottakring was a district grappling with rapid growth. The population boomed. Housing was scarce. Churches were few. The spiritual needs of the growing Roman Catholic population were not being met. The parish of Neulerchenfeld was overwhelmed. It served over 43,000 people in 1927.
The Stift Klosterneuburg had cared for the area until 1848. But now a new solution was needed. A priest named Josef Gorbach stepped forward. He had a vision. He sought to create a new church. He found a promising location. It was a 2,584 square meter wood storage lot. It sat at the corner of Hasnerstraße and Hippgasse.
On June 28, 1930, the property was purchased. The Presse-Apostolatsverein Feldkirch supported the project. Architect Hans Feszler from Innsbruck began planning. But the Great Depression struck. Funding vanished. The grand plans were impossible.
So, a humble solution emerged. Zimmermeister Ignaz Köck was brought in. He insulated the existing shed with Heraklith boards. This created a simple “Notkirche”. It could hold 600 people. The site manager’s hut became the priest’s residence.
On September 12, 1933, the Notkirche Maria Namen was consecrated. Bishop Sigismund Waitz officiated. The ceremony coincided with the Allgemeine Deutsche Katholikentag in Vienna. A striking crucifix found its home here. Peter Sellemond created it. The three-meter-long corpus was carried by a Tyrolean traditional costume group. They processed during the Katholikentag festivities.
The Notkirche served as a branch of the Neulerchenfelder Pfarrkirche. In 1939, Cardinal Theodor Innitzer elevated it. Maria Namen became an independent parish church. This was on January 1st.
Decades passed after World War II. Finally, the Archdiocese of Vienna could fund a new church. Pfarrer Rudolf Hanzl spearheaded the effort. Architect Otto Nobis designed the new structure. The Baufirma Hofmann & Maculan began construction in 1972. They created a modern facade of exposed concrete.
On October 12, 1974, the new Pfarrkirche Maria Namen was consecrated. Archbishop Franz Jachym presided. This event coincided with another Austrian Katholikentag. Pfarrer Gottfried Pichler assisted.
The Kruzifix from the Notkirche was moved. A Fatima statue was also moved to the weekday chapel. In 1974, the church acquired a statue of Mary. Bildschnitzer Johann Langthaler from Pierbach created it. A freestanding tabernacle from 1976 is by Kodym from Eggendorf. Edda Raymann created its gold-enameled tabernacle doors. The mosaic windows are the work of Carl Unger from 1978.
The church’s bells add to its beauty. Four bells ring out. They were cast in 1974 by the Glockengießerei Perner in Passau. They weigh 400 kg, 300 kg, 180 kg and 85 kg. Their tones are a4, h4, dis5, and fis5.
The Kirche Maria Namen is more than just a building. It’s a story of faith. It shows resilience. It is a symbol of hope. It rose from the “Elend” of Ottakring to become a spiritual home for many.