Envision knights seeking solace. That image embodies the spirit of Sankt Georg in Lübeck-Genin. This church stands not in the heart of Lübeck but 4 km southwest of the old town. You will find Sankt Georg nestled beside Geniner Dorfstraße. Ancient oaks surround it. Sankt Georg is more than a house of worship. It is a testament to faith and history.
Dedicated to St. George the patron saint of knights and protector against the plague Sankt Georg served as a sanctuary within Lübeck’s Landwehr. It was the first of 14 protective saints. Imagine Sankt Georg as a secure castle. Its tower with cross-shaped Mauerankern still evokes that feeling.
The church’s story began in 1286. This is when it was first mentioned. Until 1804 Sankt Georg belonged to the Domkapitel. The oldest part of the church is the altar area. Note the square additions on the north and south sides. The southern side is the sacristy. The northern side served as a mortuary until 1928. Five narrow windows once graced this early church. The east-facing one remains closed today.
Around 1600 the tower was added. Before this Sankt Georg had no tower. The church expanded significantly in the 15th century. It became a long hall church with a flat wooden ceiling. After the three-story tower was built they widened the church. They offset the new side walls by about two meters. This greatly increased the nave’s height.
Step inside to admire the baroque transformation. A storm damaged the church in 1703/04. This led to a fundamental redesign. The ceiling became a wooden barrel vault. Stucco work adorns it. Look for the Domkapitel’s coat of arms in the middle. The windows gained baroque stucco frames. The east wall features a stunning crucifixion scene.
In 1719 the late Gothic altar was replaced. Lübeck artist Hieronymus Jacob Hassenberg created the baroque altar. It features a marble Last Supper relief and a white marble crucifixion group. Meno Froböse a Lübeck merchant donated it in 1717.
The gray sandstone baptismal font is from 1731. Hermann Andreas Elleroth a Lübeck sculptor created it. Georg Froböse Meno’s father was a pastor in Genin from 1654 to 1690.
Consider the “Hohe Stühle”. These are the elevated pews. The Gutsherren of Moisling and Niendorf requested these in 1754. Johann A. Soherr the Lübeck city architect built them in 1759. The three-part Rococo gallery on the north wall took almost two years to complete. Each section belonged to a different estate.
The church organ has a rich history. The baroque casing dates back to the 17th century. In 1977 the Kemper family of Lübeck installed a new mechanical organ.
Three bells call parishioners to Sankt Georg. The “Predigtglocke” from 1661 once signaled the sermon’s start. The “Totenglocke” from 1757 tolled at funerals. The original “Kinderglocke” was lost in the war. A new one was cast in 1964.
Notice the hanging chandeliers from the 17th and 18th centuries. Large oil paintings from 1786 adorn the entrance hall and sacristy.
Sankt Georg stands as a vibrant church. It actively promotes ecological projects. Nisthilfen and insect hotels dot the grounds. Regular tree planting actions occur. The community processes the fruit from the Streuobstwiesen on site. They bake bread and pizza in a clay oven.
From medieval origins to baroque splendor Sankt Georg embodies faith history and community. As you leave remember the knights their protector and the enduring spirit of this special place.