Think of red brick. That’s what defines the Sankt-Georg-Kirche. It is a testament to faith and resilience in Frankfurt Oder.
The Sankt-Georg-Kirche stands as a proud landmark. It replaced a medieval church. The new Sankt-Georg-Kirche was built between 1926 and 1928. Curt Steinberg was the architect behind this impressive structure. The church is now a protected monument.
Let’s step back to the origins. In 1312, a leper house was mentioned outside Frankfurt. Saint George was the patron saint of lepers. It is believed that the Sankt-Georg-Kirche was established around the same time. The church’s initial location was at the Bergstrasse and Berliner Strasse intersection.
In 1368, the Gewandschneidern-founded church was confirmed by the Bishop of Lebus. It wasn’t an independent parish. The hospital managed it. A chaplain from the Marienkirche or a theology faculty member provided pastoral care. The Kliestow parish merged with the church in the 16th century. Around 1545, a new church was funded by the Wins/Winse family.
The Thirty Years’ War heavily damaged the Sankt-Georg-Kirche in 1631 and 1633. Johan Banér tried to blow up the church tower. The church’s west half collapsed. Reconstruction began in 1653. It finished in 1656. In 1787, Martin Friedrich Knoblauch designed broad extensions to the hall. The cemetery north and south of the church closed in 1816.
By the late 19th century, the Sankt-Georg-Kirche was too small. It was also dilapidated. A building assessment in 1899 recommended a new building. In 1900, the council and city agreed to a new building within ten years. A new community center was built at Karl-Ritter-Platz 4 in 1908-1909. In 1912, Georg Büttner advised preserving the existing church.
The city refused a new build. Curt Steinberg submitted two extension proposals in 1913. The community wanted financial compensation to build independently. World War I and the economic crisis halted all planning.
The old Sankt-Georg-Kirche was closed on May 1, 1922. In 1924, the community requested a building site. The city offered land on Goepelstrasse. It also offered land between Luisen-, Sophien-, and Taubenstrasse. The community would need to create new housing. Renovation and expansion were approved on September 2, 1924. Costs caused this to fail.
The city assigned a building site on Bergstrasse. It agreed to cover most building costs in 1925. In return, it would receive the old Georgenkirche property. The Kirchengemeinde St. Georg and Frankfurt agreed to exchange land on March 6, 1926. This was for the property at Berliner Strasse. It was exchanged for the land at Lennéstrasse/Bergstrasse.
Carl Heinrich Becker granted demolition approval on May 15, 1926. The old building was demolished on June 7, 1926. A portion of the baroque extension’s southern outer wall was preserved.
Negotiations for a new Sankt-Georg-Kirche continued until 1925. The city agreed to cover most costs. The foundation stone was laid on September 5, 1926. The church stands higher than surrounding buildings.
Curt Steinberg designed the Sankt-Georg-Kirche. Friedrich Paulke’s company executed the build. Klinker bricks from Ilse-Bergbau A.G. were chosen. Karl Kühn and Thyssen A.G. completed the ironwork. Puhl & Wagner created mosaics and stained glass. Robert Sandfort completed the artwork.
The Sankt-Georg-Kirche was consecrated on April 1, 1928. The Sauer organ was installed the same year. A sculpture of Saint George stands before the church. Curt Steinberg and Paul Bronisch created it. The monument lists 168 names of fallen community members from World War I.
In 1990, the organ was rebuilt with 27 registers. The Sankt-Georg-Kirche is the largest church in Frankfurt. It seats 600 to 650 people. Concerts and services are held regularly. The altar is surrounded by pews. The dome measures 15 meters in diameter. Its maximum interior height is 18 meters.
The church’s concrete structure features dark red clinker. Despite its monumental appearance, the Sankt-Georg-Kirche isn’t large. The tower has an open gallery. A tapering spire tops the tower.
The interior has a circular layout. Four staircases access the galleries. The south side has a two-story gallery. The north side encloses the sacristy. Narrow windows line the east and west walls. The dome rests on paired pillars. The coffered dome has gilded ornaments. A glazed opening sits at the dome’s center. The floor is covered with black and red tiles.
In the vaulted entrance hangs a 17th-century chandelier. The glass wind door features Christian symbols. The door reads Psalm 84,12. A window on the south gallery depicts the resurrected Christ. Carl Schilling designed the travertine altar in 1927. Meckelburger created the brick font. The Sankt-Georg-Kirche’s four bells were made in 1926-1928.