Ready to explore a place with a unique story? This is the Neuapostholische Kirche. Its roots stretch back to the 1830s and the story of the apostolische Gemeinden.
Let’s rewind to that time. People believed new apostles were needed. These apostles would guide Christians. They would prepare them for Christ’s return. These men began the katholisch-apostolischen Gemeinden. By 1842, they had reached Germany. Thomas Carlyle was a key figure. He was a lawyer whose words sparked the first Gemeinde in Marburg/Lahn in 1848.
Carlyle moved to Berlin in January 1848. Amidst revolution, he held a service. It was on March 19. He performed the apostolische Handauflegung. Candidates climbed barricades. Street fights had raged there the day before. The service took place in a hotel in Friedrichstrasse. It was the only service in Berlin’s city center that Sunday. All other churches were closed because of the revolution. This marked the Berlin Gemeinde as the first in Prussia.
Now, fast forward to December 1878. Ludwig Bösecke returned to Berlin. His mission? Rebuild a dissolved Gemeinde. His list had only ten names. He enlisted Priest Ernst Traugott Hallmann. Hallmann helped the members find a new meeting place. It was a former horse stable on Josephstrasse. About 40 souls gathered there.
In 1884, Apostel Friedrich Krebs took over from Bösecke. The service style changed in 1886. It moved from a katholisch-apostolisch style to a simpler form. In July 1888, it became known as the Apostolische Gemeinde. From Berlin, new Gemeinden sprang up. Küstrin in 1883/84 was next. Eberswalde followed in 1887. The Berlin Gemeinde rented a factory space on Kleine Markusstrasse. It had about 100 members then.
The late 1890s saw growth surge. New Gemeinden emerged in Berlin. These included Schöneberg, Nordwest, Reinickendorf, and Tempelhof. In 1897, Ernst Hallmann became Apostel for Ostpreussen. Bishop Emil Klautzsch led the Berlin Gemeinden.
After 1990, Bezirksapostel Fritz Schröder reunited East and West Berlin Gemeinden. This happened in 1991. He healed divisions. Bezirksapostel Wolfgang Nadolny has led the Gebietskirche since 2005.
The Neuapostolische Kirche is more than a building. It is a living history. It is a testament to faith. It is a story of resilience. It’s a journey from revolution to reunification.