The soaring spire of St Gertraud pierces the Frankfurt (Oder) sky. Its story begins not in grandeur but in humble beginnings. In 1368 the city’s tailors’ guild built a small chapel. They dedicated it to St Gertrude St Urban and St Theobald. It served merchants traveling south. The chapel provided a place for prayer and rest.
This first St Gertraud was located outside the city walls. It stood near the Gubener Gate. Unfortunately both gate and chapel were destroyed by the Hussites in 1342. Undeterred the guild rebuilt their beloved St Gertraud. The rebuilt chapel became a parish church in 1539. Sadly imperial troops burned the church to the ground in 1631 during the Thirty Years War.
The Baroque-style rebuilding began in 1660. Reconsecration happened on April 25 1662. A late Gothic altar followed in 1670. After the Napoleonic Wars the tailors’ guild could no longer afford its upkeep. The city took over. Before the guild dissolved it donated its baptismal bowl. This silver bowl remains in use today a tangible link to the past.
By 1822 St Gertraud was dilapidated. Services moved to the Marienkirche. The restorations lasted until 1856. A new St Gertraud was commissioned in 1865. Construction began in 1873. Carl Christ and Wilhelm Kinzel designed the new Neo-Gothic basilica. It was completed in 1878. The new organ followed in 1879.
A spire was added between 1882 and 1885. Repairs around 1930 altered the spire’s peak. The Second World War badly damaged St Gertraud. Repairs were swiftly undertaken. On May 15 1949 the congregation returned to its beloved church. In 1975 the parish merged with that of the Marienkirche.
Between 1978 and 1980 a floor was added to St Gertraud. This created a parish room and office downstairs. The upper level became the new worship space. The medieval altar bronze font and seven-branched candlestick remain. They stand proudly alongside several inscriptions. Today these treasures from the Marienkirche add to St Gertraud’s rich history. These items include the Virgin Mary altar from 1489 and a bronze baptismal font from 1376. A remarkable seven-flamed bronze chandelier hangs from the ceiling. It’s supported by four eagles. The moving wooden hands of the painted wooden relief of Jesus and his disciples are a hidden marvel. You’ll have to come inside to see it. This is St Gertraud a testament to faith resilience and the enduring spirit of Frankfurt (Oder).