Precisely where Ellwanger Straße intersects with history stands Kirche Suedende. This isn’t just a church. It’s a testament to resilience. It represents rebirth after destruction.
Kirche Suedende, or Church of Christ’s Return, has a compelling story. Its origins lie in the late 19th century. At that time, the Suedende villa colony grew rapidly. By 1882, it even had its own train station. Before Greater Berlin formed, Suedende was part of Mariendorf. Then it became part of the Steglitz district.
Before Kirche Suedende existed, the old village church was the only one. It served over 15,000 residents. Most were Protestant. The Suedende parish became part of the Markus parish in 1956. After the rebuilt church opened in 1959, it regained independence. In July 1961, it officially became known as Kirche Zur Wiederkunft Christi.
The first Kirche Suedende was inaugurated on March 14, 1913. Curt Steinberg designed it in early modern style. It had hints of baroque. But World War II devastated it. Max Schluckebier designed the second church. This version was much simpler. It was dedicated on September 14, 1958.
Originally, the Suedendkirche was a plastered building. It featured a high pitched roof. It had a nave with a semicircular apse. A side aisle included a gallery. Round arches separated them. The nave boasted a coffered barrel vault. Arched windows let in daylight. A tall square bell tower stood beside the building. Paired pilasters decorated its shaft. Above the main cornice was a low level with the clockwork. The bell chamber was above it. A pyramid roof crowned the tower. An open portico with Corinthian columns stood before the facade. Its gable was adorned with a segmental relief.
The rebuilt Kirche Suedende looks quite different. The high roof is gone. It was replaced with a slightly sloping gable roof. A community center was added in 1964. Segmental arched windows replaced the arched windows. The window at the apse reaches the floor. It is also segmentally arched. The freestanding campanile has a rectangular plan. It is covered by a shallow tent roof. A covered passage connects its entrance to the church’s vestibule.
Three bronze bells hang in the tower. Petit & Gebr. Edelbrock cast them between 1957 and 1958. They form a Te Deum peal. The bells are tuned to the first three notes of the medieval Te Deum hymn. The largest bell proclaims “Soli Deo Gloria”. The second asks “Kyrie Eleison”. The smallest states “O meine Hoffnung Christe”.
An altar cross from the old church stands beside Kirche Suedende. Julius Schramm forged it. A Christus relief found its place in the covered passage. Smooth pillars separate the side aisle from the main nave. They reach the flat coffered ceiling. Hermann Kirchberger designed a tapestry for the altar. Gotz Loffelmann created the altar window. Hans Wagner designed the two stained glass windows in the vestibule. August Rhades designed the baptismal font in the side aisle.
E.F. Walcker & Cie. built the new organ. It was installed in 1962. It has 19 stops on two manuals and a pedal. Paschen Kiel Orgelbau restored the instrument in 2009. They added one stop.
Today, Kirche Suedende is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a spiritual home. It’s a place for music. It is a gathering point. It’s a testament to community. And behind the church, you can find one of Berlin’s publicly accessible labyrinths. It offers a meditative walk. The path is about 120 meters long. It has seven circuits.