Recall the biblical town of Capernaum. We stand before its namesake, the Kapernaum Kirche. This church echoes stories of faith, resilience, and community in Berlin’s Wedding district.
The Kapernaum Kirche’s story begins in the late 19th century. The Nazareth Congregation grew too large. Count Eduard Karl von Oppersdorff donated land and money for a new church. He hoped to increase land prices in the area.
Architect Carl Siebold was commissioned in 1896. He designed almost 80 churches, many in Westphalia. Siebold adapted his design from Christ Church in Hagen-Eilpe.
The cornerstone was hastily laid on September 30, 1897. Actual construction started in 1900. The Evangelical Association for the Construction of Churches helped fund the project. Queen Augusta Victoria attended the inauguration on August 26, 1902. King William II also attended. The Kapernaum Church was named after the biblical Capernaum. It references the home and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.
In 1903, the Kapernaum Congregation became independent. It encompassed the northwestern part of Wedding. This included the African Quarter.
Look at the building’s structure. The Kapernaum Kirche isn’t precisely oriented. It faces southeast. The design features three naves on an asymmetric ground plan. The northeastern nave is large with a loft for extra seating. The southwestern nave is narrow. It resembles an aisle.
The exterior showcases Romanesque Revival style. Red brick, Lombard bands, and an entrance hall define its basilica-like appearance. Siebold drew inspiration from Rhenish churches.
Two octagonal towers accent the quire. These towers connect via a columned gallery. The space beneath served as a classroom. It combined church and community functions.
The tower at the crossroads acts as a landmark. It features a Rhenish spire. The Seestrasse facade once displayed a large rose window. A smaller tower connects the church to the street’s alignment.
During World War II, Allied bombing severely damaged the Kapernaum Kirche. It burned out in May 1944. The main tower was hit in February 1945.
Reconstruction began in 1952. Architects Fritz Berndt and Günter Behrmann led the effort. The rebuilt structures were simplified. The rose window was replaced with biforium windows. The main tower now has a gable roof. The church was reopened on November 29, 1959.
Originally, the church’s interior was simple. A wooden ceiling covered the main nave. Side naves had flat ceilings. Mural paintings depicted Lombard bands. The quire was richly decorated. The apsis painting showed Jesus surrounded by angels. Stained glass windows added color. All of this was lost in 1944.
The 1959 interior is plain with a wooden barrel vault. Behrmann created a new altar and pulpit. Eva Limberg designed the christening bowl and lectern. August Wagner crafted new colored windows in 1958. They depict Jesus, the Nativity, and Pentecost. A statue of Jesus remains from the original furnishings.
During the Nazi era, the Kapernaum Congregation faced challenges. The Faith Movement of German Christians gained power. Pastors Karl Berlich, Helmut Petzold, and Friedrich Lahde joined the Emergency Covenant of Pastors. They opposed Nazi influence.
Pastor Berlich formed a Confessing Christian congregation. They met privately. The Confessing Christians depended on offertories.
Vicar Ilse Kersten led a Sunday school. She held Bible hours in her apartment. Kersten and others helped those persecuted by the Nazis. Pastor Harald Poelchau smuggled messages from prisons. He helped people hide.
Today, the Kapernaum Kirche stands as a testament to faith and perseverance. It’s a place of worship. It is a symbol of hope. It is a reminder of Berlin’s complex past.