Whispers of history linger here at St Augustinus. This unassuming church in Dusseldorf’s Eller district holds a story far richer than its simple brick facade suggests. St Augustinus wasn’t always this building. It began as a small wooden church. A gift really. Donated in the early 1930s to a group hoping to build a new Catholic church in Eller. This little church had a past. It served as a temporary church in Wuppertal and even in two other Dusseldorf parishes St Maria Empfängnis and St Paulus. Imagine its travels. The church was built in 1932 on Deutzer Strasse. Dedicated to St Augustine whose 1500th death anniversary had been celebrated just two years prior. The church was a simple design resembling a village church with a side tower. This humble beginning marked the start of the St Augustinus parish.
In 1935 the parish was elevated to a rectorate. It officially became a parish in 1955. World War II impacted the wooden structure severely. The congregation made a decision. They would build a new church. In 1960 architects Emil Steffann and Nikolaus Rosiny were chosen for the task. They designed a simple brick building. Similar to their work at St Maria in den Benden. The design included both a church and a parish hall under one roof. A central light well and courtyard are unique features. These are surrounded by exterior walls without windows. Construction started in 1963. The new St Augustinus was consecrated on December 14 1980 by Cologne’s auxiliary bishop Hubert Luthe.
The large wooden crucifix created by Hans Karst in 1973 holds a special place here. It initially resided in St Hedwig church. After St Hedwig was secularized in 2006. The crucifix found a new home at St Augustinus. It stands proudly in front of the church. The church bells of St Augustinus have a history too. Two bells cast in 1899 by the Bochumer Verein company still ring out. They remind us that even within a new structure. History is always present. Since 2000 St Augustinus is part of the Eller-Lierenfeld parish community. It is a testament to a faith that continues to thrive. A faith that adapts and endures. A faith written into the very stones of St Augustinus. Step inside. Experience the quiet strength of this Dusseldorf landmark. It is a place of peace. A place of enduring spirit. A place of stories.